The Folly of Donald Trump

Two weeks ago, we Americans and others around the globe, watched, many of us appalled, when President Trump greeted Vladimir Putin with the red carpet off the latter’s plane.  As the two walked side by side, they were all smiles with Mr. Trump, not only shaking Putin’s hand but also grasping it and patting it.  Trump’s behavior to a malevolent dictator was hard to explain.  Our president appeared much too kind to a person that has been responsible for the lives of many from Ukraine and Russia.

Trump’s desire to see the killing between the two countries ended, by arriving at a peaceful agreement, is clearly something we all would like to witness.  So, my first thoughts were perhaps there was some method to Trump’s madness in meeting with Putin, the perpetrator of the current violence between Ukraine and Russia. 

Trump’s summit in Alaska with Putin resulted in the trip that all of Europe’s leaders made to America in their attempt to understand what his true feelings were regarding Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine President Zelenskyy made a point of attending this meeting and, with due diligence, dressed more formally than he had when he last met with Trump in the White House.  That meeting as we all know did not go well for Zelenskyy.  Trump immediately complimented Zelenskyy on the black suit he was wearing at this last assembly with the heads of Europe.

If nothing else, President Trump managed to unify all the European prime ministers in their strong support for Ukraine.  Trump indicated a desire for the killing to stop.  President Zelenskyy along with the others were asking for a cease-fire that would at least put a pause to the deaths.  Trump, despite his wish to see the war end, would not guarantee a cease fire.  Though he declared his summit with Mr. Putin a success, it was obvious that Trump was unable to secure any guarantee of a cease fire with the Russian leader.  Unlike the rest of Europe, Trump has been reluctant to back Ukraine against the aggressive initiatives taken by Putin.  Rather, than backing the democratic ideals embodied in NATO, Trump has looked the other way in his effort to establish a relationship with Putin and broker a deal between him and Zelenskyy.

Deep down, I believe Trump comprehends that it is Putin and not Zelenskyy that is keeping the war going.  If there is going to be a peace between Ukraine and Russia, Trump recognizes that Putin has the power and influence to make it happen.  Accordingly, it is Putin not Zelenskyy that he believes stands in the way of his efforts to end the war that would earn him the right to a Nobel Peace Prize.  Unfortunately, Trump’s huge ego has blinded him to the type of individual he has been trying to impress with obsequious gestures such as a red-carpet greeting, handshakes smiles and sweet talk.  As Thomas Friedman, a columnist for the New York Times put it, “Putin is a bad guy, a coldblooded murderer.  He is not the friend of the president.”

After the meeting he had with Trump in Alaska, once more Putin bombarded Kyiv with missiles killing at least 27 people.  Trump had earlier stated he would wait two weeks before he made any decisions about the war.  In the interim, Trump has at least agreed to sell arms to Europe so the latter can reinforce and strengthen Ukraine’s military position.  What Trump has refused to acknowledge is that Putin does not want peace with Ukraine but rather as Friedman wrote, I believe correctly, “a piece of Ukraine.”