The always excellent annual Yalta European Strategy Conference took place in Kyiv September 12-13. Trump's envoy General Kellogg was there, so the Russians did not bomb Kyiv for 2 nights...
2 things stand out:
The US has left &
Ukraine produces its own arms but needs money. /1
Kellogg supports Ukraine, but he can's explain that Trump has stopped all financial & military aid to Ukraine. As all Trump appointees he says that he cannot speak for the president.
Kellogg claimed that NATO is stronger than ever.
No! Trump works for Putin & not for NATO. /2
The big positive news is that Ukraine has developed hundreds of startups in arms production, mainly drones. They produce new stereotypes in 2 weeks & can quickly scale up. Ukraine does not ask for more arms from the West but for money since they produce arms cheaper. /3
Since Trump roots for Putin and gives nothing to Ukraine, Europe has to step up.
The EU had better seize the $200bn of Russian sovereign assets in Euroclear bank in Brussels asap.
Every delay costs many Ukrainian lives.
(Forget about treacherous Trump & the US!) /4
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The first impression from three days of walking in Kyiv is as before that most things look quite normal. Lots of people & cars in the streets. The restaurants and cafés became more and better.
A lot of music in the streets. /1
Yet, large parts of the central city have been closed to all traffic, also pedestrians, for security reasons. Yet, this civilian ministry in Podil has only sandbags protecting its low windows.
In Mykhailivska Square stand rusting Soviet tanks as before. You see the Sophia Cathedral in the background. /3
Is there any republican left who does not understand that Trump supports Putin & not the West? 1. He praises Putin all the time & now even his servant Lukashenko. 2. Trump has imposed no sanctions on Russia or tariffs, but big tariffs on the EU & Ukraine. /1
3. Trump has not given Ukraine any arms or financial aid. 4. The US has twice voted in the UN with Russia & a dozen rogue states claiming mendaciously that Russia is NOT an aggressor against Ukraine. 5. Trump has ended all US media information against Russian disinformation. /2
6. Trump has stopped all US democracy support abroad. 7. Trump is withdrawing US support for Baltic security. 8. Trump does not even protest when Russia bombs US companies in Ukraine (Boeing & Flex). 9. Trump has eliminated all Russia knowledge in the US administration. /3
What suggests that Trump works for Putin & Xi & not for the US? 1. He has launched an extraordinary and erratic trade war against all but Russia; 2. eliminated U.S. foreign aid programs; 3. upended U.S. alliances; 4. degraded the US administration; /1
5. Stopped all aid to Ukraine; 6. Reduced military support in NATO directed against Russia; 7. stopped all US state media directed against dictatorships; 8. ended support for democracy. /2
9. detained and deported scores of foreign students and scholars; 10. strong-armed universities for their political views; 11. forced media companies into doing his bidding; 12. the same with law firms & all kinds of corporations; 13. emasculated US science. /3
How will Russia's war in Ukraine end?
Both nations are very tired now, the Ukrainians more so, but Ukraine knows this is an existential war, it is not for Russia, only for Putin himself.
Ukraine spend 50% of GDP on the war, Russia only 7% & they complain. It tells you all. /1
After World War II, no imperial power has won a serious, prolonged imperial war. Russia won in Chechnya, which is not big, leading Putin to the wrong conclusion. Ukraine is too big & united to be defeated by a mindless colonial power, which Putin can't understand. /2
We are all caught in historical precedents.
Putin clearly thinks Chechnya, but it had 1.5 million inhabitants, while Ukraine had 40 million when the war started.
My precedent is Germany in 1918: Its revolution stopped a mindless war, while German troops stood abroad. /3
It is so tiresome to hear all these commentators saying that Trump's actions are "unprecedented" or that we are in "unchartered" waters. They say so to avoid criticize the president, who deserves all the criticism he can get. /1
1. As we all know, Trump lies all the time. During his first term, the Washington Post catalogued & counted his 32,000 lies, but now its billionaire owner Bezos has stopped this truth-telling.
All journalists should have a moral duty to say that Trump lied, whenever he did. /2
2. As we all know, Trump persistently violates many laws, but commentators avoid saying so. Do! Considering that Trump has bought the majority of SCOTUS, we should not consider its verdicts as necessary in line with law or the US constitution. /3
Stunning how weak US institutions are.
Trump wants crony capitalism = the accidental ruler is allowed to seize what he wants & give benefits to his darlings. 1. Proven corrupt SCOTUS gives him legal immunity. 2. GOP Congress does whatever POTUS says. /1
3. Trump starts trade wars against the whole world (apart from Russia) & nobody but China seems to be able to stand up to him. The Congress lies flat. 4. Trump cuts taxes for billionaires so that they finance his destruction of the economy as Hitler once did & they obey. /2
5. In order to protect his irresponsible fiscal policy, Trump undermines the Federal Reserve presumably boosting inflation, possibly to inflate away the excessive US public debt. Will any force be strong enough to defend the independent central bank? I doubt it. /3