Will Trump really support Ukraine at meeting with Putin?

I imagine the deal - in Russia's favour - is as good as done. The Guardian photo of Putin meeting Trump straight off the plane says it all.

Putin has Cheshire Cat written all over his cunning face.

Of course 🤬

Putin is currently killing about 7000 of our ally’s troops a day according to Trump. And he applauds Putin as he walks towards him😡😡😡.

He is just interminably stupid.
I despair.

Yes he is.

Whitewavemark2

Putin is currently killing about 7000 of our ally’s troops a day according to Trump. And he applauds Putin as he walks towards him😡😡😡.

Such a vile image. I despair.
Trump is being shown as an absolute fool.

I think Putin and Trump ‘get’ each other because they are cut from the same cloth. They both see Zelensky as a bit of a nuisance but will try to work out how much Russia can get away with in a ‘compromise.’Neither of them care two hoots about the rest of Europe, just irritating mosquitos to be ignored or swatted down as necessary.

Well that unsurprisingly was a storm in a teacup

I don’t know why they all bothered.

The way I see it is that Zelensky needs to agree to give up territory to Putin. Whether now or years into the future is unclear.
It’s not Putin who is being pushed by Trump but Zelensky.

Stalin mk 2 meets Forrest Gump.

This sums it up perfectly. By Gzero Media, whose shorts are usually spot on, and amusing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovW2heSFSpk

I totally despair about this terrible situation. Trump will have been taken in by Putin who will have loved being on the world stage again.

I wonder what weazle words Trump will use to cover himself and blame it all on Zelensky.

Trump doesn't care what happens in Ukraine, he only cares about himself, his wealth and power. He could stop this war by helping Ukraine more and putting really punitive sanctions on Russia and STICKING to them. Russia is weakened ATM with troops who are acting as cannon fire but he won't because he sees great financial advantage in doing deals with Putin and wants his Trump tower in Moscow. Or what does Putin have on him? Whatever it is, it can only be used once.

Well that was embarrassing wasn't it. Trump applauding Putin; was that because Putin was wearing a suit?

The only thing Trump has succeeded in is elevating Putin's standing on the world stage. It makes that awful encounter in the White House between Trump, Vance and Zelensky even worse and who'd have thought that would have been possible.

No details given because there are none to give.

Stalin mk 2 meets Forest Gump spot on Windmill.

We’ll call that game, set and match to Putin he has not softened his line since before the war started.

Zelensky can either back down and surrender or continue fighting, it’s upto Europe now to persuade or back him, the US will supply the weapons but we will pay for them.

So Trump failed, he can now shift the blame ( or credit) onto us for what happens next, whether he is serious about secondary sanctions we will see.

If he's serious about secondary sanctions he'll implement them today. Trump's all mouth. Europe needs to properly support Ukraine.

foxie48

Trump doesn't care what happens in Ukraine, he only cares about himself, his wealth and power. He could stop this war by helping Ukraine more and putting really punitive sanctions on Russia and STICKING to them. Russia is weakened ATM with troops who are acting as cannon fire but he won't because he sees great financial advantage in doing deals with Putin and wants his Trump tower in Moscow. Or what does Putin have on him? Whatever it is, it can only be used once.

Trump or the vast majority whether Republican or Democrat in the US have much interest in Ukraine, or indeed Europe. The want the war over and dont really care how it ends, from Trumps point of view he tried his best, failed, the ball is now in our court, we have to take up the poisoned chalice and pay the cost.

Putin has no intention of walking away from this war with nothing gained. It does not matter who the negotiator is. Putin doesn't do compromises.

I think what it is easy to forget is that Europe and many other parts of the world, who have believed that the US wanted to be the "world's policeman" and would continue in that role, have bought the bulk of their defence weapons from the US. This means they have enabled the US to fund their own military defence more cheaply as well as making Europe etc dependent upon the US for weapons in the future. It's not easy to switch to other manufacturers because of the technology involved. This is why Trump's changed position is so treacherous. I don't see a "poisoned chalice" I see moral responsibility and frankly naked self interest. The UK can no more afford to see an expansionist Russia moving through Europe than we could when Germany started to threaten Poland. The difference is we have the benefit of hindsight.

It’s not an expansionist Russia but Russia asking for territory back which they gave away. They want Ukraine back as part of Russia to give added protection to its own borders.
It’s as if we had given Scotland its freedom and then had second thoughts.

The majority of Ukrainians voted to leave Russia in 1991 as did the citizens of many other countries in the USSR. Russia has borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (via Kaliningrad Oblast), Poland (via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. Are you suggesting that's it's OK to occupy another country in order to secure your border with them?

foxie48

I think what it is easy to forget is that Europe and many other parts of the world, who have believed that the US wanted to be the "world's policeman" and would continue in that role, have bought the bulk of their defence weapons from the US. This means they have enabled the US to fund their own military defence more cheaply as well as making Europe etc dependent upon the US for weapons in the future. It's not easy to switch to other manufacturers because of the technology involved. This is why Trump's changed position is so treacherous. I don't see a "poisoned chalice" I see moral responsibility and frankly naked self interest. The UK can no more afford to see an expansionist Russia moving through Europe than we could when Germany started to threaten Poland. The difference is we have the benefit of hindsight.

Yes

FWIW Ukraine was part of Poland far longer than it was part of Russia, perhaps Poland should invade too?

I think one solution might be for Ukraine to stay a country but under the umbrella of a Russian Federation. In much the same way as England, Scotland,Wales and Ireland are all part of the United Kingdom.
If it stops more soldiers from certain death, then it is a small price to pay. Russia definitely wants Ukraine as part of Russia and not Europe. I do not share the view of Boris Johnson that this is a war that can be won by Ukraine. It should stop.

ronib

It’s not an expansionist Russia but Russia asking for territory back which they gave away. They want Ukraine back as part of Russia to give added protection to its own borders.
It’s as if we had given Scotland its freedom and then had second thoughts.

Do you man that all former Soviet Union countries are part of territory that Russia “gave away” and should be returned?

I guess you’re pretty much n line with Russia thinking on that score.

No wonder those all those people under former Soviet oppression are preparing for war.