Trump calls Zelenskyy a dictator amid fears of irreconcilable rift

18 comments

1. It’s absurd.

2. This is deliberate policy and appears to be their M.O. in turning against allies.

   Step 1: Antagonize ally with outrageous threats and/or rhetoric, gradually escalating

   Step 2: Belittle ally as they attempt diplomacy and appeasement to showcase them as weak and dependent, continue escalatory rhetoric against ally

   Step 3: React to ally retaliation or defensiveness once red line is crossed – claim victim narrative against ally, continue to escalate threats and rhetoric

   It’s hard to imagine the following steps to be something akin to “mediate entire situation with a deal which doesn’t drastically change the status quo, it was just a negotiating tactic”.

   This is a rogue state engaged in hybrid warfare against former allies.

3. Now I’m sitting here as a German, not knowing whether it could be off to the Eastern or Western Front in the near future…

4. He’s attacking Zelenskyy to pressure him into a deal. Ukraine obviously will not agree so Trump will blame Zelenskyy for failure of peace negotiations and suspend any aid. Both Russia and the US are happy, Ukraine is now Europe’s problem.

5. Really stands in stark contrast to Putin, who has only very coincidentally exercised de facto control of Russia for 25 years now.

6. Not tanks or January 6 like attacks will take Americans democracy.Democracy’s fail when attacked from within, America is now attacking its own institutions.

   As a sadden American, my apologies to the world. We are in for a wild ride, hold on tight.

7. One big problem for Zelensky is Starlink. The Russians cut off Ukrainian Comms and needed Starlink for Comms and everything that goes with it (e.g. drones). All Trump has to do is tell Musk to cut Starlink access. Starlink has US military contracts but Trump will be able to thwart those. Only other option is Bezos’ Kuiper but Bezos will toe the line. Satellites are changing warfare.

8. Yeah but trump likes dictators. Maybe this is his way of saying he likes Zelenskyy. /s

9. He will call him a Nazi and say that the Russians are trying to get the Nazis out of the Ukraine in a Special Operation within a month.

10. Putin will take Ukraine and all the old Soviet bloc countries, we get Canada

11. I sometimes listen to Komsomolskaya Pravda Podcasts and read their news, since I am half Russian. The most recent podcasts are about how Ukraine should and will be Europe’s problem and how to change the government in Ukraine to a more “legitimate one”. They also speak how they would like to see Zelensky in Russian prison / hole for life. They also see Trump as a relatively positive actor.

    I listen and read their side of the news to understand the narrative and how they think.

    Russians want their people to think that EU and Nato is weak. A lot of hate goes towards France, Germany and especially UK. They want the same power shift to happen in UK (like it happened in US). They also stress that EU military is very small in nunbers and is used for small scale projects abroad.

    Most of it is BS however the amount of rhetoric coming from Russian media is complementary to actions and words of Trump. And vice versa.

12. the guy who just called himself a king is calling zelenskyy a dictator. Classic

13. Trump is really a high school mean girl. Calling Zelensky a dictator while his Russian opponent has ordered hit jobs on all opposition is so ironic.

14. If it comes to a war time election, Zelenskyy will win comfortably.

15. The “art of the deal,” everyone….

16. Obvious point

    Americans wouldn’t be able host talks between Ukrainians and Russians with this language. Trump may have blown up the talks before they began. This trump putting his foot in the mouth or something else. I have a feeling it the latter.

17. Trump is so stupid and chaotic he can make an intellegent man question is sanity. Imagine how liquified the average republicans mind is under the spell of such an actor of chaos.

18. I’m trying to process all what is happening recently.

    It looks like the new administration is going to start a new world war. China is the target. They think Russia will be more important ally in this war than the EU. So Putin gets a free hand to deal with Europe as he likes, and in return Russia won’t interfere in China.

    I believe the last 3 years of strengthening Chinese influence over Russia and central Asia is not welcome in Moscow also.

    Question is how much they are going to do to appease Kremlin? Ukraine for sure. Probably Baltics. Maybe even Poland.

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