Trump's appeal to Nato, about stopping purchases of Russian oil, and imposing 50% to 100% tariffs on China puts the onus and cost on Nato, on Europe. Russia will see this as a one-sided embargo against them.
The happy meeting in Alaska is already forgotten? What was it all about other than a publicity stunt?
What happened to negotiations? He did not mention any requirements that Zelensky would have to make, just an order for Russia to unilaterly "stop the war". No mention about the cause of the war, or a long term solution for what started it in the first place. Rutte no doubt loves this ultimatum.
India has lately rejected abandoning Russian energy. Now Trump is trying to pressure China to stop buying Russian oil. Trump threatens with new sanctions, with European sanctions. It's Europe who will pay the price under Trumps latest scheme.
European countries with a coast line could replace Russian energy with high cost American LPG, but for the land locked countries, it's not so easy.
Trump's says "I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 lives lost last week, alone. CRAZY!)." Sound like a decent humanitarian objective, yet when it comes to the genocide, the daily slaughter in Gaza, he is all in favour of continuing it, and completely demolishing the entire strip. How can one be perturbed about the loss of lives in the Ukraine war, yet unperturbed about the daily slaughter and destruction in Gaza? It makes no sense.
I'm sure the head of Nato, Rutte will try his best to take up Trump's appeal. "If NATO does as I say, the WAR will end quickly, and all of those lives will be saved!"
No doubt much more to come from various sources. |
