February 24 was the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Very few people gave Ukraine much of a chance. Ukraine’s success has been due to their ability and also because of military and financial support from the United States and Europe.
Things have recently changed, and not for the better.
Ukraine and other European countries proposed a resolution in the General Assembly that demands that the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and its demand for an immediate cessation of the hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular of any attacks against civilians and civilian objects. It passed 93 yes, 18 no, and 65 abstentions. The United States voted against it.
The United States then proposed a resolution in the UN General Assembly that did not place blame on Russia for starting the war and talked about ending the war. An amendment was made by 20 European countries which passed 93 yes, 8 no, and 73 abstentions, including the United States. The amendment referred to the “full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.” The second change “reaffirms the assembly’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.” The third calls for a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine that respects the U.N. Charter and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Trump has taken the position that this war was Ukraine’s fault. He said that Ukraine started the war. In Trump’s world, the invaders are the victims, and those who are being invaded are at fault. To put this in a perspective, it would be like blaming Poland for Germany’s invasion on September 1, 1939, which started World War II.
Right now, there are negotiations solely between the U.S. and Russia. Trump’s rationale is that Ukraine had three years to stop the war. Again, in Trump’s mind, it is Ukraine’s fault that the war has not yet ended. I am not sure what deal Trump expected Ukraine to make with Russia while they were invading Ukraine.
The last time that world powers made a deal in the absence of the country involved was in Munich in 1938, where British Prime Minister Neville Chamberland and Adolf Hitler on behalf of Germany along with France and Italy made an agreement giving the Sudetenland, which had belonged to Czechoslovakia, to Germany. Soon thereafter, Germany took the rest of Czechoslovakia. Germany figured it could continue with its territorial demands by next going into Poland. Russia has the same goal. It first wants to take over the rest of Ukraine and then take back the countries that made up the old USSR. Thus, what Trump is doing is not making the world safer but increasing the chances of another war.
Trump has put maximum pressure on Ukraine, such as cutting funding and requesting that it provide rare minerals. He has called Zelenskyy a dictator, although the Ukraine Constitution allows suspension of an election in time of war. There is no criticism of Putin. To make matters worse, Trump wants to reward Russia for its invasion by increasing business ties. The message to any country is that you can do what you want along as you have a business relationship with the United States. What message is this sending to China, which has had desires to take Taiwan? China can make some trade deal with the United States and the United States will look the other way when they invade Taiwan.
In contrast to his pro-Russia policy, Trump has been fighting with our allies, such as Canada, Greenland, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and NATO members. It is ironic that Vice President J.D. Vance in Munich said that internal conduct in NATO is a greater threat to them than Russia.
It feels like the world has been turned upside down. Some Republican members of Congress have spoken out against the president’s comments, but they are few and far between.
Imagine if Trump had been president during 1939-1941. The United States would not have helped Great Britain during those dark days by giving them weapons through a lend lease program. Who knows how the war would have ended.
It was only 21 years from the end of World War I until the beginning of World War II. It was 77 years from the end of World War II until the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Clearly the United States’ post-World War II policy has worked. Trump in one month is doing his best to destroy it. If history is any indication, this will not end well.
Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
