Thread by @WarintheFuture

In short, the ‘leader of the free world’ is considering siding fully with a brutal authoritarian, endorsing its invasion of a democracy, and agreeing with forced territorial expansion. 1/7 🧵 🇺🇦
reuters.com/world/trump-en…

2/ This will legitimise and encourage the same behaviour elsewhere in Europe by Putin, who is already conducting subversion and sabotage across the continent, and preparing his military for future aggression against other nations in Eastern Europe. The current posture and signalling from the Trump administration makes future war elsewhere in Europe almost certain.

3/ The leaders in Iran, North Korea and China are watching closely. Each have aggressive designs against democratic neighbours. Each will be highly encouraged by this clownish, amateur negotiating style and demonstrated lack of interest in defending democratic nations and values.

4/ The unseemly, amateurish haste - and apparent malice towards Ukraine - with which this is being pursued by Washington almost guarantees failure. The complexity and history of this conflict cannot be negotiated over days and weeks like a New York apartment building sale. Real lives - tens of millions of them - are stake here, as is the security and prosperity of Ukraine and Europe for the next several decades.

5/ And the people of Ukraine, whose courage, resilience and sacrifice have inspired us these last 3 years, are being treated in a shoddy, cowardly and morally bankrupt fashion by a nation that was once its biggest supporter as well as an exemplar of democracy, values and innovation. Why would Ukraine agree to such one-sided terms that can only result in more suffering by the Ukrainian people?

6/ The current trajectory of the so called ‘peace negotiations’ cannot lead to a solution that will be either enduring or just. Russia has demonstrated in the past two decades that it simply will not abide by any agreement that is sees an advantage in ignoring. Without security guarantees for Ukraine, this is certain to happen again. And what about justice for those Ukrainians who have been victims of the 130K (+) war crimes?

7/ Consequently, in thinking they are heading towards ‘peace in our time’ the Trump administration’s current approach is only nurturing more authoritarian aggression, destroying the relationships that provide for collective strategic deterrence and defence of democracy and democratic nations, and guaranteeing that large-scale war in Europe and Asia is the most likely future for us all. End.