Trump's phone call with Putin achieved absolutely nothing, even though Trump is making a song and dance about it. Putin brushed aside his 30-day truce ploy and only agree not to strike at Ukraine's energy grid for 30-days. That is hardly anything to gloat about.
Winter is almost over in Europe and a 30-day truce of not striking at Ukraine's energy grid is not a priority for Putin right now. He can always concentrate on military targets like tanks, artillery and ammunition factories, railway lines and airports, and let the Ukrainian rebuild those electrical grids that have already been destroyed for the next Russian strike after the 30-day truce is over. Who is really setting a trap for whom now?
Trump is indeed gloating about a first step towards peace in Ukraine in the face of just asking Putin not to strike at Ukraine's energy grid. Whatever happened to his boasting about settling the war within 24 hours of taking office? Everybody heard that and knew that it is an absolute impossibility, but nobody is talking about it. It is mind boggling that a person could just spout nonsense about his ability, could not be expected to carry it out which everyone knows, and yet gets elected as the President of the USA. How credible can that person honestly be, for all other countries to put their trust in him, is just, should I say incredible. I guess under 'Rules Based Order' anything is possible.
Anonymous
Trump waves his magic wand in bankruptcies only, nothing else he does is even close to magic. And, of course, there is one area that his magic wand still works, and that is getting elected despite all his failings. Only in the USA I would say.
ReplyDeletePutin, always used to negotiating with sensible adults, is not taking Trump seriously, more like bargaining with a child. Putin can just play Trump like a violin, nothing else.
If you watch those USA leaders espousing nonsense, you could see the vast differences in intelligence and strategy underlined by wisdom, diplomacy and humbleness with the likes of Sergei Lavrov or Wang Yi. They are in a class of their own. It is just like comparing adults with children.
The USA style of diplomacy is all about trying to push everyone down in one fell swoop, giving them no avenues to have any say. It puts other leaders' reluctance to talk to them. Winston Churchill's famous quote - 'Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions' says it all.
Trump may again succeed with his magic wand. Bankrupting the USA, which will be his mother of all bankruptcies.
ReplyDeleteTrump has created such a titanic mess in USA with his job cuts and around the world with his tariffs, returning to normality is going to be catastrophic.
ReplyDeleteThe Federal job cuts will affect the private sector salaries, as those out of government jobs will now be competing with the private sector employees and will be dragging down salaries for sure. So, more private employees will likewise lose jobs as well, not to talk about lower salaries prevailing all round. Who does all that going to benefit? The top 1% employers of course. It is all of the rich, by the rich and for the rich, of which Trump and Musk are among them. After all, Trump and Musk are going to make hay while the sun still shines over the next four years. After that, it is someone else's business.
Globally, the tariffs are going to affect trade among countries, with new trade relations emerging from the loss of USA import market but benefitting BRICS and the Global South. Take Canada as an example, now doing more business with the EU and closing relations with China. If things are found to be working fine and simpler in newly found business relationships, investors are not rushing to open factories in the USA. Tariffs will then be rendered as ineffective as sanctions in time to come, no matter how beautiful the word is in Trump's delusional mind.