Will Trump really support Ukraine at meeting with Putin?

One of the videos on the Imperial War Museum’s website reinforces the fact that Putin miscalculated in the early days of the conflict. Putin hasn’t the ability to march through Ukraine which is on its doorstep. If the West really wanted to combine to defeat Putin in a timely manner it could. So why hasn’t it?

Smileless2012

Any countries Putin has his eye on who aren't members of NATO, need to be allowed to join pretty darn quick.

They may not want to.
Serbia, Moldova, Austria, Switzerland, Belarus

Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia have applied.

This small but important exclave of Russia is nestled between the Baltic States and Poland.

ronib

One of the videos on the Imperial War Museum’s website reinforces the fact that Putin miscalculated in the early days of the conflict. Putin hasn’t the ability to march through Ukraine which is on its doorstep. If the West really wanted to combine to defeat Putin in a timely manner it could. So why hasn’t it?

Do you not understand why?
🤨

Ronib Firstly, Russia is a nuclear power, secondly, if any NATO country puts boots on the ground to defend Ukraine it risks escalating the conflict which no one wants. Support for Ukraine is best done via ensuring it has the weapons and training required to defend itself. Sadly, the position taken by Trump has weakened Ukraine's ability to defend itself and allowed Russia, although weakened by war, to make further inroads into Ukraine. Of course Putin doesn't have the ability to walk through Ukraine which is why Putin wants to settle for the time being with territory and an agreement that Ukraine will never be given access to NATO membership. If he didn't intend to return to take more bites out of Ukraine, he would not worry about Ukraine being in NATO. tbh I'm really surprised that you have asked this question as previously you seemed to understand this and seemed to be very anti doing anything that might escalate this horrible war.

Casdon

I can’t engage with you about this war ronib, you don’t understand the basic principles of freedom and autonomy.

Sadly, I have to agree that this is certainly how it comes across.

foxie48 Russia is a nuclear power- but it is not the only country with nuclear weapons. It’s therefore contained by the knowledge that it would be counter attacked surely?
Putin hasn’t always said that he doesn’t want Ukraine as part of the West. That’s a problem because parts of Ukraine I understand, are more Western looking than Eastern (Russian). So the problem is one of nationalism?
I don’t know what benefit the USA is seeking to gain from this war. The art of the deal and all that?
I think Putin is deeply opposed to the West and NATO is the embodiment of all he despises.
Yes foxie48 I remain deeply opposed to more soldiers dying.

surely not just "soldiers" dying?

“I don’t know what benefit the USA is seeking to gain from this war. The art of the deal and all that?”

The US will gain:-
By US companies being able to trade with Russia and Ukraine
By selling arms to Europe
By rebuilding Ukraine, but that depends on stable politics.

Ronib

"So the problem is one of nationalism?"
No, I think he'd like to recreate the USSR but most of the ex USSR countries don't want that. Nationalism is keeping the Ukrainians fighting because they want to stay Ukrainian.

" I don’t know what benefit the USA is seeking to gain from this war. "
Apart from the things that David has already mentioned, Trump wants to build a Trump tower in Moscow, he wants the Nobel peace prize and he and his family have done lots of business with Russian money. There's strong evidence that Russia interfered in US elections to Trump's benefit and I also wouldn't be surprised if Putin has something on Trump but that's for another day as I have absolutely no evidence for saying that.
"I think Putin is deeply opposed to the West and NATO is the embodiment of all he despises."
Well you don't need much insight to know that, it's crystal clear what he thinks of the West and Western values which is another good reason not to let him expand his empire. He's a ruthless, violent dictator who thinks nothing of killing those who oppose him and who runs an oppressive regime with almost total control of the media. He's basically a criminal who runs Russia like a Mafia boss, instead of watching war films why not do some digging on what Putin has got up not only in his own country but on foreign territory, you could start with the UK.

Remind me again- was it back in January 2025 or February when Trump declared to the world that America would no longer fight the battles for the rest of the world? Didn’t take long to change his mind. Or perhaps Trump sees this war as part of the Making America Great Again?
Putin may well resemble a Mafia boss but so does Trump.

Wouldn't disagree about Trump I have no respect for him either but ATM Europe needs Trump on board. We've let our own military strength dissipate believing that the US would carry on as the world's policeman. We live in dangerous times, this pivot by Trump is potentially very destabilising and will allow the bullies of the world throw their weight around. Will Taiwan be the next to be invaded? If it is, Ronib will you then say it's between Xi Jinping and Lai Ching-te ie A country of 1400million people invading a country of 23million?

Well I am flattered to be asked foxie48 not knowing a thing about Taiwan. As a general principle of course not. However the political and social system/situation is extremely complex with Ukraine and it feels as if the world is being run by really crazy and powerful men. If you don’t mind me writing, you do seem to have a very black and white approach to events?

Black and white, mmm perhaps. Give me an example from one of my posts so I can think about it.

foxie48telling me not to watch any more war films? From the Imperial War Museum!!

Are they in black and white?

"instead of watching war films why not do some digging on what Putin has got up not only in his own country but on foreign territory, "

Just a suggestion, Ronib !

I think baking a cake makes more sense….

foxie48

Wouldn't disagree about Trump I have no respect for him either but ATM Europe needs Trump on board. We've let our own military strength dissipate believing that the US would carry on as the world's policeman. We live in dangerous times, this pivot by Trump is potentially very destabilising and will allow the bullies of the world throw their weight around. Will Taiwan be the next to be invaded? If it is, Ronib will you then say it's between Xi Jinping and Lai Ching-te ie A country of 1400million people invading a country of 23million?

This is not just Trumps standpoint its the view of all his military commanders, DO NOT escalate a war against Russia - because China will take advantage of it and we can’t take on both. Let Ukraine go, leave it to Europe to deal with.

He is bringing Europe into the real world where we have to defend ourselves and not hang onto US coat tails. Europe can stand up to a hostile neighbour, if we value our freedoms we are going to have to fight to defend them.

We have to remember we need to defend ourselves on Russia’s terms, we are not going to do that by being Mr Nice Guy

Unfortunately Putin will not run out of soldiers, ronib, for as long as Kim is willing to supply them from North Korea.
Was there an MSM article claiming that Chinese troops were also being deployed?

David I agree with you. China is watching how the Western world deals with the situation in Russia. I think Europe has woken up to the fact that we need to stick together and increase our military power but Trump's strange relationship with Putin really doesn't help anyone except Putin.

foxie48

David I agree with you. China is watching how the Western world deals with the situation in Russia. I think Europe has woken up to the fact that we need to stick together and increase our military power but Trump's strange relationship with Putin really doesn't help anyone except Putin.

We all in Europe want Russia as a friendly neighbour having hostile neighbours is draining, before 2014 we were trading happily with them, even relying on them in some cases, they were relaxed and allowed their military to reduce even decay.

Ukraine changed all that, it hurt us it hurt them, just like WW2 end the fighting and look forward, that does not mean we drop our guard.

Unfortunately I don't think Putin is likely to be friendly, since 2006 there have been 14 suspicious deaths of Russians in the UK. Clearly Putin doesn't worry about assassinating those of his citizens who disagree with him even when they are on British soil. Definitely not the act of a friendly neighbour.

I don’t know how to explain foxie48 but Putin does not have a high opinion of the UK as a best guess. He probably has some good reasons which he is not sharing with me. Putin has never been a friend of the UK and is unlikely to ever want to be so. He’s out of our league….

What's to explain, Ronib? My reply was to the post above mine by David but I'm intrigued by your comment that "he's out of our league" What do you mean by that?

foxie48 I believe that Putin is running rings round Trump, Zelensky, Starmer and the EU. Putin has an iron clad determination to do what he thinks is best for Russia. We might not go along with his methods but he won’t bend to the West.
The news headlines yesterday promised a lot but gave nothing.