By Karrin Vasby Anderson
Journalists covering the Feb. 28, 2025, Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a “jaw-dropping” “spectacle” and a “striking breach of Oval Office comity.” Slate’s Fred Kaplan asserted, “Nobody has ever seen anything like it.”
People shouldn’t have been surprised.
The Oval Office encounter was expected to be an on-camera meeting between the president and the Ukrainian head of state before the signing of a crucial minerals deal between the two countries that was meant to be a key step toward ending the war in Ukraine.
But as reporters described it, the initially routine meeting devolved into a “fiery exchange” in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance “berated” and “harangued” Zelenskyy after he pushed back on Vance’s assertion that Trump’s diplomatic skills would ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin would honor a ceasefire agreement.
Trump’s compulsion to dominate both allies and enemies seems to have caused him to jettison the negotiation the moment that Zelenskyy declined to perform subservient fealty. The meeting, which was ended by Trump with no agreement signed, illustrated why authoritarians are lousy dealmakers, particularly when autocratic instincts are exacerbated by what’s known as toxic masculinity.
Toxic masculinity is a version of masculinity that discourages empathy, expresses strength through dominance, normalizes violence against women and associates leadership with white patriarchy. It devalues behaviors considered to be “feminine” and suggests that the way to earn others’ respect is to accrue power and status.
As a communication scholar who studies gender and politics, I have written about Trump’s displays of toxic masculinity and authoritarian tendencies in a variety of situations, during and after his first presidential term.
Trump’s reaction to Zelenskyy in the Oval Office illustrates how these inclinations stymie the president’s purported dealmaking abilities, undermine democratic values and make the world a more dangerous place.
Diplomat, dealmaker or mafia don?
Trump staged the public Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy to showcase his ostensible prowess as – in his words – an “arbitrator” and “mediator.” Trump insisted during the first 40 minutes that “my whole life is deals” and asserted that he has what it takes to make Putin conform to a peace agreement with an embattled Ukraine.
Apparently eager to project a persona as a successful diplomat and powerful dealmaker, Trump rejected a reporter’s suggestion that “you align yourself too much with Putin” and not with democratic values.
Trump contended that in order to successfully negotiate, he couldn’t alienate either Putin or Zelenskyy. “If I didn’t align myself with both of them,” he said, “you’d never have a deal.” Instead, he claimed, “I’m aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the world. I’m aligned with the world.”
Vance initially echoed Trump’s message, casting Trump as a consummate diplomat and arguing, “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy.”
But Vance’s tone shifted the moment Zelenskyy challenged Trump’s framing.
Zelenskyy provided historical examples of U.S. diplomatic failures and observed that Trump and other presidents had been unable to contain Putin. Vance responded by castigating Zelenskyy for not “thanking the president” and repeatedly instructed him to “say thank you” as the exchange grew more volatile.
Trump, seemingly angered after Vance pointed out Zelenskyy’s lack of deference, dropped his diplomatic tone and informed Zelenskyy: “You’ve got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards.”
After the meeting, both the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and Slate’s Kaplan compared Trump to a mafia don. The Daily Beast writer David Rothkopf suggested he was more like “the Luca Brasi for mob boss Vladimir Putin,” invoking Don Corleone’s henchman in the movie “The Godfather.”
The comparison to famous fictional mafiosos was apt. As a scholar who studies both film and politics, I have observed how both fictionalized depictions of the mafia and MAGA Republicanism are deeply patriarchal and autocratic cultures that demand loyalty, breed abuse and foster corruption.
After Trump suspended negotiations, canceled lunch and expelled the Ukrainian delegation from the White House, Reuters reported that “most Republicans rallied behind Trump and Vance.”
Democrats, a few Republican outliers and the majority of European leaders backed Zelenskyy.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The art of the deal’s demise
Trump cemented his reputation as an accomplished dealmaker in the 1980s, when he published the largely ghostwritten New York Times bestseller “Trump: The Art of the Deal.”
Many of his supporters voted for Trump in 2016 because they wanted a “dealmaker in chief,” as one poll characterized it, who could get things done in a fractured Congress.
In his second term, despite having a Republican congressional majority, Trump has established himself as the nation’s sole authority, embracing toxic masculinity’s theory of power and respect. Doing an end run around Congress and flouting the law, Trump initiated scores of policy changes via executive order and asserted that neither lawmakers nor judges have the authority to challenge or constrain him.
Trump’s blow-up at Zelenskyy is much more than a foreign policy snafu. It’s a preview of what will happen when toxic masculinity drives U.S. foreign policy.
Toxic masculinity on the world stage
CBS Evening News
In his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy modeled a version of masculine strength characterized by empathy, discipline and mutual respect. Focusing on the needs of his people, Zelenskyy showed Trump pictures of Ukrainian prisoners of war abused in Russian custody and advocated for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.
Trump initially acknowledged that Russian abuses were “tough stuff,” but concern for Ukrainians seems to have vanished after Zelenskyy politely challenged Trump.
Decrying Zelenskyy’s insufficient gratitude and escalating the conflict, Trump asserted: “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Vance similarly shifted focus from the needs of Ukrainian civilians to paying homage to Trump, demanding that Zelenskyy “offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who is trying to save your country.”
A common tactic employed by abusers is to demand that the person they are bullying show them gratitude.
In their berating, bullying and humiliation of Zelenskyy, the president and vice president used the language and rhetoric of abusers in an apparent attempt to try to force the proud and dignified leader of a country at war to grovel and get in line.
Their lack of discipline and decorum also upended the negotiation, jeopardizing a deal aimed at halting the fighting in Ukraine and advancing U.S. interests.
In my view, the toxic masculinity on display in the Oval Office on Feb. 28 was a bald demonstration of something new and alarming to a public accustomed to decorum and diplomacy in that formal setting.
For many, the enduring image of that meeting is an anxious Zelenskyy being hectored by a furious Trump.
But there’s another image that captures equally well the dynamic unfolding in the room. Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova sat in a chair just in front of the assembled members of the media. Papers held steady in her lap with one hand, the normally unflappable member of the diplomatic corps buried her head in her other hand, unable to even look at what was happening.
Karrin Vasby Anderson is Professor of Communication Studies at Colorado State University.
Maria says
You want to support Ukraine so bad? Send them your money and your sons and daughters to fight. I stand with the only one fighting for peace, end of war and stopping the sensless deaths of people in the region. “Peace is not an easy prospect; it requires greater bravery than does conflict”- Zehner Explain why Zelenskyy wants to continue war rather than try to be brave for peace? Challenge: explain without invoking any refernce to our great President Trump, you know, the peace broker.
Thomas Hutson says
There was nothing Toxic Or Masculinity about either King or the Knuckle Dragger, they are both simply A- – holes, no class!
Stephen Playe says
Two big American bullies beat up a brave little kid in front of the whole school then sent him home to his burning house.
Skibum says
Ukranian President Zelenskyy is a true warrior, a combat president and leader of his country’s military troops engaged in the ongoing fight against the thuggish putin and his invasion of Ukrainian territory. Trump, on the other hand, is a fake bone spur crying, draft dodging coward and bully. All of America should voice their outrage and utter contempt for the disrespect that our despicable POS president and vp showed toward President Zelenskyy in the oval office the other day! Neither trump or vance deserve the respect or support of ANYONE in the U.S. for the blatant Russian appeasement they are trying to sugar coat as some form of “America first” nonsense. And that childish idiocy about Zelenskyy not being professionally dressed in a suit and tie while visiting the WH is preposterous when the idiot musk regularly takes over conversations even in the oval office and is ALWAYS casually, inappropriately dressed in a t-shirt and jeans wearing a ball cap but not one single word of critique is or has been uttered by the same fools who want us to believe that Zelenskyy, in a time of war for his country, is doing anything wrong by wearing his military clothing. The clown show by the buffoon-in-chief is getting REAL and putting our country and worldwide democracy in ever-increasing DANGER!
Ed P says
This was an overly simplistic view of the on going negations between Zelenskyy and the United States. The summary is myopic and conveniently over looked the last 3 years of dealing with Zelenskyy. The back story is an integral part in understanding what really happened on camera. Zelenskyy has not come to the realization that the war has to stop and doesn’t want peace. At least not yet.
Without trying to defend either side, I suggest anyone who will earnestly spend the time to ferret out the truth, not along party lines, will walk away with a different take on the event.
This is not about Russian Appeasement 2025 as other posters sing. The reality is that a protracted war is not an option. Mankind needs it to end. The possibility of this conflict spiraling into something much larger can not be ignored. The policy of “as long as it takes” is asinine.
Anyone who has ever been in a major negotiation understands that even in a good outcome with a settlement, each party may not be 100% happy. Those people who believe that Trump and Vance are wrong need to step back, edify yourselves and give this some time to play out. I’m not suggesting that some mistakes haven’t been or won’t still happen but if you believe that anyone can mediate any conflict by taking sides and isn’t willing to compromise, then you are wrong and the fool.
Michael J Cocchiola says
It is appalling the depths of degradation to which Trump, Vance, and Musk have dragged the U.S.A. Our former NATO allies to a country have unified with Ukraine. We are the outlier and decidedly on the wrong side of history and of the remaining democracies in this troubled world.
Which brings me to what remains of the old Republican Party. It is now the MAGA Party dedicated to Trump and his autocratic government. Republicans in Congress have abandoned democratic governance, the Constitution, and the rule of law, all to retain their jobs and their power. For the MAGA minions, it was an easy decision to support millionaires, billionaires, and a dictatorship. They want to be as wealthy, privileged, racist, and empowered as their heroes, and this is their only path forward.
I am not ashamed of America. I am ashamed of MAGAmerica (I have arbitrarily renamed America because why not?), and I fear for the future it is trying to inflict upon my daughters and granddaughter. I fear for our former allies who trusted us. I can only hope for another 2018 and 2020 when real Americans stood firmly for democracy and fought back with their votes.
RTC says
I think the Republican Party is in for a big surprise in the mid term electons in 2026. They will lose control of both the Senate and the House. I would be worrying about my job right now if I was one of them. Hopefully our country won’t be destroyed before then.
Lynne says
There are a number of issues with Trump’s performance during this incident, not the least of which is the public, face-to-face scolding of a fellow elected leader of another country.
And the comments about not wearing a suit: are African leaders berated for wearing their native dress to international events? Are they or Zelensky, for that matter, berated for their attire while addressing the United Nations?
And now, temporarily halting aid to Ukraine – how middle-school of Trump and his lapdog, Vance. It’s a case of I’ll take my marbles and go home.
Ronnie says
Trump proved to the world on Friday that he is working with Putin. What was shocking was to witness Rubio sitting there with the shock on his face yet too much of a coward to stand up to the US Constitution.
Trump and Musk are both working with Putin to destroy the USA brick by brick. Musk is firing all qualified employees in our government that keep our country safe. And he is shifting government contracts to make himself more money.
Today the tariffs kick in which means prices going up for the American people, European Allies no longer trust our government, and now the GOP Republicans are possibly going to shut down our government which means no social security checks for ever those that wear red hats.
Tell us again how Trump is helping the people of the USA?
NJ says
More KRAP from a SHIT4BRAINS Chinese Communist Party Asset! ChinaNews has found a perfect outlet in Flaglerlive. America First in today’s world is the only way to compete against China First, Russia First, Iran Fist,etc,etc! America is NOT the World Police: that should be the United Nations!
JW says
On the front page of Le Point a picture of Trump:
L’homme de Moscou.
So the cat is out of the bag. Not the Man of the Year but the Man of Moscow.
Jackson says
What should Zelensky be grateful for?–That Trump is willing to cave to ALL of Vlad’s demands? That he can keep all seized territory. That he pays no reparations, that sanctions be lifted on Russia. And what does Ukraine get?–They have to give away 50% of their mineral resources for some sort of “security guarantee” that Trump can’t even articulate.
Putin is getting EVERYTHING from Trump he could possibly want. Someone should introduce Trump to Neville Chamberlain for that is how he will be remembered. An Appeaser that lead to WW3
Al says
In response to a wasted education in communication. Is that really a degree or did the university make it up for idiots?
Anyway my response is simple BULLSH*T. Ukraine needs to want peace instead of a neverending war. They also have to quit trying to get American troops involved. The EU can send its children to die but I don’t want it to be ours.
Robjr says
A draft dodging rapist trying to lecture a warrior.
Only in America. lol.
Sherry says
Good Morning From CA All! Well, I’m happy to see that the vast majority of those commenting here saw through the rehearsed “shame” of that meeting.
Meanwhile. . . DO NOT look at the value of your 401K or IRA plans this morning. trumponomics at work!
Matt says
your articles perception is total extreme left wing nonsense & hypocrisy. M.A.G.A 2025
You guys had your chance & that is now OVER , sit down and shut up, the adults are now back in charge.
Kennan says
Here we are with an incessant liar. Oddly enough he is very honest about his dishonesty. He tells the world what he will do. How he will do it, and if you don’t like it tough. Comply or else. No diplomacy. Negotiations are out.
President Trump’s meeting with President Zelenskyy was at its very best an “extortion “ deal with the Ukrainian leader for minerals in exchange for ending the war in Ukraine. If that wasn’t bad enough,it unsurprisingly devolved into an attempt by Trump to humiliate, berate,intimidate, and ultimately try to measure his penis in a public setting.
Trump not only embarrassed himself with his “shortcomings “, but he made our country look really really bad. As Americans we should be ashamed.
I’ll speak for myself and just say when I look at the Stars and Stripes I just laugh.
“Necessity is the mother of invention “, and we desperately need to reinvent ourselves. Do we really think we are the most responsible stewards of peace, prosperity, and above all the military capabilities we have? I think not.
I choose to look towards the future where we can be a true democracy again. I choose not to worship a president that puts out an AI video of him and the Prime minister of Israel sipping on cocktails on a Gaza beach, while Israel which is now bringing no more humanitarian aid to Gaza, (as if the did in the first place) kills upwards of 400 civilians during a “CEASEFIRE “ and uses Hamas as an excuse for negotiations that Israel walks away from. Constantly.
I used to ask, “is this who we are”? Well, this is who we are. It’s time to reevaluate who we want to be. Stop pointing the finger at everyone else. In many cases we need to be like everyone else.
GREED AND DISHONESTY DON’T WORK.
Thomas says
Trump/Vance and Musk are working for Putin and they proved that to the world on Friday. If we had a real Attorney General and not a fake one that is only working to please Trump, the three of them after Friday’s Ambush they should have been charged with conspiracy to commit treason, and the American people all witnessed it on national television.
Ray W, says
The fatal flaw in Ed P.’s reasoning is that he presumes that the U.S. has permission to negotiate terms of settlement between the aggressor, the Russian Federation, and our ally by treaty, the Ukraine.
In January 1943, at the Casablanca Conference, it was decided that no member of the Allied governments would accept anything other than unconditional surrender of the governments of Japan, Germany and Italy. It was not lost on the Allies that Germany had engaged in negotiations after WWI, but Prussian militarism had not been crushed and the Allies were at war again after 20 years. The Allies decided that the only way out was to destroy the Nazis and Prussian militarism, to destroy the fascists, and to destroy the imperialists.
From that time on, no member of the Allied governments engaged in negotiations to stop the war with either Germany, Italy, or Japan. When the commanding general of the German forces in Italy in April 1944 sought to meet in Switzerland to discuss surrender, the British commander of the Allied forces in Italy sent a representative to discuss only whether they would meet, not what the terms of surrender would be. The Soviet Union was notified. Angry denunciations instantly arose from Stalin, who accused the British of negotiating without Soviet representation.
When German forces finally surrendered, the three major Allies followed through on the necessity of crushing Prussian militarism from the face of the earth. This was achieved by partitioning Germany into zones of occupation and splitting Prussia into two entities. Poland’s border was moved to the west, taking one of the two entities; its people then migrated to occupy what had been eastern Prussia, and all Germans were forced westward out of the new Poland. Of course, Russia took much of east Poland as its spoils of war. It was as if the whole of Poland simply stood up and marched miles to the west.
NATO has not given the U.S. permission to negotiate with Russia. Of the four signatories to the treaty to aid the Ukraine from any outside aggression, Britain has not given the U.S. permission to negotiate. Neither has the Ukrainian government. Only Russia has given the U.S. permission to negotiate.
While these facts are lost on the gullibly ignorant among us, like Maria, above, it is not lost among our former allies.
The U.S. is obligated by treaty to defend the Ukraine from aggression, not to negotiate away portions of the Ukraine.
Ed P. lost his argument in his first sentence. The rest of his comment is myopic wishful thinking, derived from a world that respects legal agreements and negotiates business disagreements through mediation or arbitration. Compared to the world of unprovoked violent aggression, Ed P.’s world is woefully unprepared to address the evil among us. Putin is charged with international crimes deriving from mass murder of civilians, mass rape of civilians, mass kidnapping of child civilians. His soldiers are murdering surrendering Ukrainian soldiers and Ed P. talks of mediation from which disputing businesses leave after both surrender something. You don’t negotiate with murderers. You don’t give things to murderers. You destroy them or they will do it again.
We have gone in three short weeks from leader of the free world to opportunistic street thug. The free world is appalled at our behavior.
Skibum says
The orange-faced buffoon has never been what he loves to call himself – a “deal maker”. He is a bully, conflating deal making with pushing people around, strong-arming those he considers lesser, more vulnerable and easily victimized. He does not value or lean toward cooperating with others, doing the hard work required to understand another person’s point of view or what they need to achieve in any deal. It is all about HIM and what HE can get, steal or con someone out of, and he thinks that, somehow, is the “art of the deal”??? He revealed himself long ago to be a coward, faking so-called bone spurs as a reason to skirt serving in our nation’s military, and yet he has the unmitigated gall to browbeat another country’s democratically elected leader, who regularly is seen in battle dress, in the war zone along with his troops that are heroically fighting the murderous thug’s invaders from Russia. The orange cheeto cannot hold a candle to President Zelenskyy, and no matter how loudly he and his idiot vp yelled at Zelenskyy in that obnoxious set-up in the oval office the other day for the benefit of the cameras and the Russian TASS news agency that was present, we Americans know the difference between right and wrong, and we certainly know and can call out a bully when we see one! And it is not President Zelenskyy who needs to apologize. The bully and his puppy dog vp should be the ones apologizing to President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for their despicable behavior toward a true leader and ally of America!
BillC says
Anyone who has ever been in a major negotiation understands that you don’t concede to all of your opponent’s demands before the negotiations even begin.
joe says
“Washington, D.C. – The economy was thriving when Biden left office. GDP growth was steady, wages were rising, inflation was easing, and the stock market was cruising. It was a picture of economic resilience, built despite Republican obstruction and fueled by a government that cared about working people.
Then along came Trump 2.0.
Less than two months into his second term, the economy is flashing warning signs, businesses are bracing for impact, and economists are whispering Trump Slump — the dreaded sequel to the Trump Recession that Biden had to clean up four years ago.
But fear not! In true Trumpian fashion, he is here to tell us that everything is fine, that the market crash is fake news, and that if we just believe hard enough, his genius will make it all better. And he’ll be saying exactly that in his upcoming address to Congress.” – Credit: Daily Kos.com
But at least that trans girl in Idaho won’t get to play soccer! Way to prioritize, Trumpers!
feddy says
Hey Zelensky, where’s the billions of dollars that are unaccounted for?
R.S. says
I don’t think that Trump is leading us to a more peaceful world; on the contrary, his bullying has already turned off the US’s allies. Europeans are worried that they might be the next in the attempt of Putin to make Russia great again. The only option is for them to arm themselves. A world where Europe has her own nuclear shield through France and England and where Europe is armed to the teeth is unlikely to be as easy to balance as the world during the Cold War was. Add in China as the fourth center of power and you’ll have a much more volatile power structure. Norway is already teetering in its commitment to supplying US ships in its ports. Others may follow. Igor Nikolaevich Panarin may have gotten the date wrong for the disintegration of the US by suggesting 2010 for that event; but given all the internal stresses between blue and red states, he may prove to have been correct yet.
Sherry says
Just the latest in the multiple ways trump has “unlawfully” exceeded his firing authority:
The chairwoman of a critical agency that reviews federal employee firings can stay on the job, a judge ruled Tuesday, formally reversing President Donald Trump’s “unlawful” decision to fire her.
District Judge Rudolph Contreras handed a major victory to Cathy Harris, chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board, an independent agency that has the power to review and reverse federal employee firings. The little-known board has taken on new importance as Trump initiates mass government layoffs, leading to thousands of firings, and more on the way.
Sherry says
@NJ. . . You don’t like the “factual truth” that “Award Winning” Flaglerlive publishes. . . please, do us all a favor and crawl back into the gutter. You are welcome to peddle your foulmouthed, hate filled garbage to Joe Rogan or Breitbart. Thanks so much!
Sherry says
@ Al. . . this time I completely agree with you. Your response is “simple bullshit”. Thanks!
Sherry says
Right On Jackson!
trump berated the President who actually won by a landslide (over 70%) for asking for a “security guarantee” to a ceasefire. President Zelensky tried to explain that Putin BROKE the last ceasefire, but vance and trump just kept yelling at him. . . saying he did not thank them enough. trump’s insecure, fragile ego and narcissism drives his negotiation communication. “Kiss My Ring” (ass) always comes first!
Matt says
Trump &Vance did an awesome job of representing our nation as usual. The Billions gifted to Ukraine have been squandered or stolen, along with the lives lost & property damages.
No normal thinking human would want to continue this war, but here’s all these liberal types that want to keep on killing for no reason other than Trump wants to end it. So sad.
Ed P says
Jackson,
Who has negotiated anything yet?
Who has advocated lifting any Russian sanctions?
Spend 5 minutes to understand the rare mineral deal, the why especially.
You are too far off into the weeds
JC says
What’s your opinion on Russia?
Mothersworry says
Measure his penis?????
Reports are that it would be a waste of time as he is hung like the proverbial field mouse.
Ed P says
Ray W,
You sing Russian appeasement 2025.
How does any war end? Negotiations. Even in surrender.
The United States is not going to set the terms of the settlement but rather bring both sides to the table and aid in the mediation.
If NATO or any world leader is capable of facilitating a negotiated cease fire, why haven’t they or don’t they?
Ukraine will never pound Putin into submission.
You are incorrect in spouting that the Ukraine should not give up 1 square meter. Injuries and deaths probably exceed the totals of WW2. There won’t be a winner.
I will let this debate rest until a resolution is reached and then we can debate who was gullible, myopic, convoluted, and wrong.
I’m not afraid to admit if I’m wrong. Can you?
An end to the war or a victory under your premise is nothing more than a fantasy.
You let your ideologies cloud reality.
Bartholomew says
I will not sit down and shut up. I will proudly say FUCK YOU to the C. O. W.men who are dishonest and so full of shit and are destroying our nation. I wonder how much money the trump family and musk have made playing the volatility he is creating. I predict an invasion of MEXICO. You know that country that boarders the GULF OF MEXICO. MAGA my ass!
Sherry says
Hey feddy. . . Please get “educated” . . . here is the report that Fox “should” have published and you should read:
https://www.csis.org/analysis/where-missing-100-billion-us-aid-ukraine
Thanks!
Bartholomew says
Trump and Vance have no marbles
Sherry says
Maga Cult Members. . . Please educate yourselves beyond Fox propaganda and conspiracy theories before posting here. . . Take a good read:
https://www.csis.org/analysis/where-missing-100-billion-us-aid-ukraine
Your lame attempts at bullying only serve to make you look like complete fools.
Silent Majority says
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse. When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people. A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice, — is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.”
― John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy
Maria says
From Mr. Zelenskyy himself:
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.
We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.
We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.
Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.
Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.
Land of no turn signals says says
The charity should have ended a year ago.Stop giving bums loose change everyday they piss on your car door.
Sherry says
Thank you Joe!
The markets took “another” big hit today. . . all caused by the trump ridiculous trade war! All about Fentanyl, right? Yes, I guess there are enough of the Maga base buying that complete BS. When will Maga wake up and stop blindly believing in absolutely “everything” trump does, no matter what?
Next the Maga faithful will do Laurel’s “Twist”. Just keep “twisting”those facts. . . the losses in your retirement plans will somehow magically be Biden’s fault, right? Grocery prices going up and the stock markets going down. That’s what you poor Maga souls voted for, right? That’s what trump promised, right?
Don’t worry, trump will “fix” the stock market by tax breaks for “Billionaires”! That will make the fat cats happy! Especially since DOGE is firing IRS workers, so less tax audits, right? But, it still won’t “balance” that GD budget! Don’t worry, Doge will simply “chain saw” more critically needed workers without cause and cut back Medicaid/Social Security/VA services and benefits, right? Maga, Right?
An email from a very dear Canadian friend tells me that many Canadians are calling for their government to put the US on the “Axis of Evil” list.
Let’s see a high five for “Making America Gangrene Again”!!!
Sherry says
Hello Maria,
Well “I” actually have sent money and gifts to Ukraine directly through friends of mine.
Regarding President Zelensky. . . if you closely watched the full video of the meeting, you would have seen President Zelensky (who won by over 70% of the vote) trying to explain that Putin signed a ceasefire years ago and then totally broke it. President Zelensky doesn’t want a forever war. He just wants some guarantees included in the ceasefire agreement to prevent Putin from breaking it “AGAIN”.
Please get educated on “ALL” the facts from several different news sources other than Fox. Try PBS, BBC, the Associated Press for credentialled information.
Thanks!
PaulT says
Tump is creating chaos with his tariffs while allowing J D Vance to destroy the trust of all America’s allies while fawning to the Russian dictator. The Musk led Broligarchy is raping and pillagin the American government, inflation is rising, the housing market is in ruins and the stock market is tanking, all because of Trump.
And Matt thinks the adults are in charge. I’d say ‘what a joke’ but it really isn’t funny.
Mountain Man says
You Democrats remind me of a baby sitting in his or her high chair having a hissy fit throwing their squash at the floor. President Trump has everything under control. You will see. Biden just poured money into everything without any security for the United States. Of course Biden did not know what he was doing or where he was. I’m going to close for now but we have the Best President that has ever walked this earth. In closing Democrats shut the Hell up, go clean up your squash.
Marlee says
Maria
Someone (at our support Ukraine Rally) yelled at a Woman who yelled
the same thing that you are yelling….”Go fight, if you support Ukraine”.
Guess what? She was Ukranian and did fight!
She was very emotional when she talked about it.
Be careful who you yell that to!
Jay Tomm says
What Z did was out of order. There was a time behind doors to vent like he did. What he did was try to use that conference to appeal to people to feel sorry for him & his country to push the US to act towards him. He picked the wrong guy to try that with, & was spanked.
Pogo says
@When shitheads tell you who they are
… believe them.
feddy says
Hey Sherry,
Why don’t you search pandora papers.
Sherry says
@j tomm. . . Please carefully watch the “full” meeting (CSPAN) . . . In it you will see that it was trump who wanted the discussion/negotiation “in front of the cameras”. trump said so at the end of the meeting. Obvious to all those who still have their critical thinking ability. . . the end of the meeting was a complete trap to embarrass President Zelensky. . . who did “Thank” trump! EVERYONE. . . Please watch the “Full Meeting” :
The dude says
Maga morons laboring under the illusion of the great orange stain actually cares about Ukrainian civilian lives, or peace, are a hoot.
Russia invaded. Ukraine is defending.
Look, I’m sorry Ukraine didn’t help the orange stain out by investigating President Biden like he demanded… but don’t you think standing shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin, in the invasion of another country, is a bridge too far to settle a personal score?
Is there ever gonna be “a bridge too far” for you MAGA morons?
I guess when the SS and Medicare cuts kick in, we’ll see.
Although the MAGA crickets over the DOGE treatment of veterans currently doesn’t inspire much hope.
Foresee says
@Maria Duh, Russia started this unprovoked war, not Ukraine. You’ve got it backwards. Russia, with criminal aggression, invaded Ukraine in an illegitimate attempt at territorial expansion. All Russia has to do is stop this war, which they started, is to cease fire and withdraw.
Maria says
@ Forsee, duh, those words are from the Ukranian President not me. So debate him not me.
Sherry says
Thank you Foresee!
I would only add that intelligent people do not respond well to “Bullying” as a negotiation tactic. trump is most certainly the opposite of “Peacemaker”. trump is Putin’s Pawn and he’s not smart enough to realize it. Apparently his Maga supporters don’t either.
Nancy N says
Why does President Zelensky want to continue fighting instead of making a deal for peace? For the same reason that the US fought in World War 2 – because a foreign nation invaded and was occupying lands that didn’t belong to them. Are you suggesting that if Canada invaded us and was occupying the Dakotas and Michigan and Wisconsin and Minnesota that the right thing to do would be to make a deal giving them that territory so that we could have “peace”?
Skibum says
Just when more people are starting to wonder when, or if there is a bridge too far where the maga mush brains will start to turn against the orange cheeto occupying our nation’s highest office, he does what? Well, of course, the federal Dept. of Education must go, because, as he has said publicly, he “loves the uneducated”. To him, the more people are uneducated, uninformed or as when watching his favorite fauxinfotainment nuze – misinformed, the better it is for him to get away with all of the falsehoods he spews daily about what is causing America’s highest priority problems and keeping this country from “being great again”. Yes, the con game continues because it is EDUCATION services to all states, including the “red” ones, that need to be cut as a high priority because we can achieve so much more without egamucation!!! And the sooner we all realize that, people will be able to RISE UP, leave their dilapidated trailers in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Mississippi, find some shoes to cover their bare feet and actually go out and be successful for once in their lives, right? Right??? Isn’t the wonderful maga experience GRAND!
Ed P says
Skibum,
Nice to see the far left is suddenly more concerned about the classroom than the bathroom or locker room. Where have the libs been? They/them appeared to be more important than students being educated. Even today, Dems still support men in girls sports.
So you believe that the creation in 1980 of the department of education, has been so successful improving classroom performance, that the $268,000,000,000 ($268 billion 2024 budget) is being effectively spent?
Mission statement: to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages.
Failure is about all I can describe.
4000 employees, numerous calls for reform and 45 years later it’s not visibly evident of any measurable success. I’m stumped. Try to quantify successes or even describe something tangible. What is it that these 4000 bureaucrats have been doing to meet their mission statement? Test scores tell us the same.
Is the disdain for Trump and Musk so strong that nothing that they do can be seen as being sensible? $268 billion costs each taxpayer over $1600.(161 million individual taxpayers). I can’t see the need to continue budgeting, especially since prior to 1980, DOE didn’t exist.
Jackson says
After the oval office disaster , Trump went golfing , Vance went skiing
Zelenskyy went back to war!