Response to a Friend’s Facebook post.
THE New Left howls, “I stand with Ukraine.” Me, I stand with Ukraine and I stand with Russia. I stand higher for No War so no more military aid to whatever country, amidst war or peacetime. And I stand with the (current) U.S. position in brokering peace in whatever way but not via more fighting or arms aid. End the war now and then we can talk more about trade and economics next.
Ukraine's minerals are not a one-shipment deal so whatever deal President Trump offered, sign it. Let FDIs enter Ukraine for recovery and rebuilding. Not just from the U.S. and the European Union, but also from China and BRICS nations.
Most importantly, hold a national election in Ukraine, alongside a probe of how the foreign aid to Kyiv, since February 2022, was spent. Before 2022, more than 3 million Ukrainians worked in Russia. Both peoples are kin or couples and friends. My neighbors are Ukrainian/Russian wife and husband. Yet in America, we chose to take a stand to divide them over taking a stand to end this war.
We are not really affected by this war the way the Ukrainians and Russians are so we treat this as a dramatic Left vs Right caterwaul while comfortably seated in front of our gadgets, sipping wine or drowned in beer. Mostly, the New Left’s stand is due to their hatred for Mr Trump who chose to shake hands with Russia rather than goad Vladimir Putin to continue the war. Yet Donald uses that friendship, perceived or real, to end this war.
Volodymyr Zelensky's fate as President depends on this war. He suspended the election because the war is still happening, hence he expects to get more aid? Logical. Probably if Kamala Harris won last November, he will get more? But America has already given a lot of taxpayer money to Kyiv. Money that the U.S. can, for example, allocate for FEMA or health services.
Mr Zelensky has no leverage to negotiate apart from his country's "rare earth" etcetera. Whoever is POTUS, the quid pro quo for USAID or military aid is natural resources or priority country in trade deals. That's always been the case, historically. Aid is not dole-out or gift. (I am a Filipino who protested USAID when I was in the Philippines.)
At least, President Trump's deal is not the "arms for oil" that was the deal in the Middle East for many years. That region is already rich and now high on economic development so they now reject "arms for oil." Volodymyr still insists on arms for rare earth etcetera. He is dreaming. But I am scared for him. Hint: His military might make a move. You know, that is also historical and we know whose hand would push it. 🇺🇸☮️🇺🇦
