A World Without a Leader: How the US Retreat from the War in Ukraine Threatens to Threaten
Immediately after the US election, long before the inauguration, I wrote that the most likely scenario is that Trump will blame all the problems of the Russian-Ukrainian war on Europe, announcing that he has more important things to do elsewhere. Therefore, we should not hope for American help, let alone direct pressure on Putin.
But I was sure that it would happen soon after the inauguration, so Trump would retain his victorious look and dignity as the leader of the first world country. That it would look like a strategic decision, a correction of America's priorities. At first, it looked like that: Vance's speech in Munich, Trump's talk about Greenland, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
Instead, his exit from the role of big brother came after four months filled with negotiations, calls, missions, draft agreements, speeches, interviews, etc. Instead of distancing himself from the Russian-Ukrainian war, Trump actively engaged in it and paid attention to it every day. So now withdrawal looks like an admission of failure. And this greatly destroys not only American interests, but also the whole picture of the world in which there are adults in kindergarten.
This turn not only increases the risks around Taiwan and Israel, but also creates new risk zones in unprecedented places.
Negative for us: less world attention to our war, more of our losses, fatigue and disappointment.
Positive for us: Europe has had time to wake up (and this is the most important thing), our experience has become even more valuable for other countries, and Russia is even closer to its end.
Let's not be enchanted, let's not be disappointed, let's not lose hope, let's support the Defense Forces.
