We’re still in the calm before the storm phase here. So far a lot of things have gotten fouled up in Trump 2.0 but not so badly that they couldn’t have been immediately walked back before worse damage was done. We’re speaking of things like laying off the workers in charge of the safety of the nuclear stockpile and then realizing that that wasn’t such a hot idea after all. But the things that are beyond merely administrative snafus are getting permanently damaged. And at the top of that list is the global geopolitial situation which cannot be undone with an executive order, nor can it be fixed with a simple memorandum. The stakes here are serious and of lasting duration. This, for example, is not a good sign.
Of course, he understood his assignment at the MSC.
Seems like he had delivered. Coming from this guy 👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/nawJp9Cvcw
— Evaristus Odinikaeze (@odinikaeze) February 15, 2025
Talk about Before and After audios, you just listened to J.D. Vance while he was still in possession of his own soul and we know what he sounds like since he sold it. And not just Vance, but Lindsey Graham, Doug Burgum, the entire Greek chorus that were once anti-Trump but now wag their tails and sit at his feet, adoringly.
Yes, Moscow had good reason to enjoy Vance’s speech in Munich. And a lot of wheels are getting into motion after that speech:
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ): “I was in the room in Munich for VP Vance’s speech. No talk about Russia, Ukraine, China. Just criticisms of our allies and focus on ‘the threat from within.’ His speech is going to embolden our adversaries who will see this as a green light to act while America is distracted/divided.”
… Rep. Seth Mouton (D-MA) said it was a joke for Vance to lecture Europe on free speech and their elections: “What I heard was a very hypocritical speech from the VP. He’s been unwilling to say publicly he accepts the election results from 2020. Trump said just yesterday that members of the J6 committee should be jailed. And they just kicked the AP out of the Pentagon. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more hypocritical speech in my life.”
… German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius after Vance’s speech: “Democracy does not mean that a vociferous minority can decide what truth is. Democracy must be able to defend itself against extremists.”
… WaPo’s International correspondent Josh Rogin: “Multiple lawmakers here in Munich told me the U.S. Congressional delegation presented Zelensky with a piece of paper they wanted him to sign which would grant the U.S. rights to 50% of Ukraine’s future mineral reserves. Zelensky politely declined to sign it.”
… This extortion is one of Trump’s demands in his “peace” negotiations.
Vance’s speech was met with stony silence. The only people who clapped for him were the members of his own delegation. That means that if Vance wants to look good for the press in the future that he needs to bring a much larger delegation. Finally, Volodymr Zelensky called for changes in Europe to accommodate the new political landscape.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an “army of Europe” amid rising concern the US may no longer come to the continent’s aid.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he said US Vice-President JD Vance had made it clear the old relationship between Europe and America was “ending” and the continent “needs to adjust to that”.
He also said Ukraine would “never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement” after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks.
On Saturday, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Russia’s foreign minister “building on” Wednesday’s call between Trump and Putin.
Russia’s foreign ministry said Saturday’s call had been made “at the request of the US side”. The statement did not give any further details on Ukraine but said both sides had “reaffirmed commitment to restoring a … dialogue” between the two countries.
Trump’s call with the Russian president earlier this week broke nearly three years of silence between Washington and Moscow.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine also said Europe would be consulted but not take part in talks between the US and Russia, if and when they happen.
In remarks likely to raise concern in Ukraine and among European allies, Keith Kellogg said previous negotiations had failed because too many parties had been involved.
“It may be like chalk on the blackboard, it may grate a little bit, but I am telling you something that is really quite honest,” he said on Saturday.
Zelensky also said that he had blocked a Trump-led deal that would have given the US access to vast amounts of Ukrainian natural resources because it lacked “security guarantees” for Kyiv and “does not protect us”.
Trump has pushed for access to rare minerals in Ukraine in return for aid, or even as compensation for the support the US has already provided.
Earlier this week, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a “factory reset” for Nato which signalled the alliance needed to be “robust”, “strong” and “real”.
On Saturday, Zelensky said: “Let’s be honest. Now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on an issue that threatens it.
“Many, many leaders have talked about Europe that needs its own military – an army of Europe.”
Dwight Eisenhower is rolling in his grave right now. For that matter, so is Ronald Reagan. Two world wars, incredible bloodshed and now all those victories and all those values are being thrown out the window. And Nikita Khruschev looks up from Hell and cheers. This is exactly his agenda come to fruition — finally.
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Trump’s appeasement of Putin isn’t to avert a war, as Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler was in 1938; Trump’s purpose is to hand victory in a 3-year-old invasion of a peaceful neighbor to the criminal invader. And to try to get his long-desired Peace Prize for doing it.