Zelensky is actually the highest-profile world leader who has ever stood up to Trump.
Drop the frame of evaluating the damage to our country, or analyzing how bad Trump's actions are, for just a moment, and sort of step back and see it from Zelensky's position.
(🧵)
Drop the frame of evaluating the damage to our country, or analyzing how bad Trump's actions are, for just a moment, and sort of step back and see it from Zelensky's position.
(🧵)
https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1895528700894195971
Zelensky is the leader of a country at war which is highly dependent upon foreign aid for its survival.
His popularity indexes with how much aid Ukraine gets, which controls Ukraine's military viability.
That is the biggest risk to Ukraine that he can control personally.
His popularity indexes with how much aid Ukraine gets, which controls Ukraine's military viability.
That is the biggest risk to Ukraine that he can control personally.
The amount of U.S. military aid he gets, I think we've all seen, he doesn't control, not with this President in office willing to impound Congressionally authorized funds. 
The Presidency in office right now is openly defying the Judiciary branch, right now, in tearing down U.S. foreign aid. This was not a winnable situation for Zelensky from the foreign aid perspective.
I don't think it ever was.
I don't think it ever was.
What he's getting out of this now, instead, is the worldwide *and* domestic visibility and popularity he needs to forge a different path forward for Ukraine.
Really, looking at it, that was the only upside out of this that was ever going to be achievable anyway.
Really, looking at it, that was the only upside out of this that was ever going to be achievable anyway.
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