Ukraine will fight on
Some quick conclusions from the fight in the Oval Office.
Ukraine will rally behind Ze and fight on.
Europe will step up and support Ukraine because most European leaders have finally figured out that Russia is an existential threat to Europe. Most European leaders are also I think glad someone - Zelensky - had the balls to stand up to bullies like Trump and Vance. Zelensky appeared today as the leader of the free world, not Trump, the bully, asking Ukraine to say thank you for its support (lying about the $350 billion in U.S. support when the actual number is one third of this) when it has lost hundreds of thousands of dead, injured and kidnapped to Russian brutality.
I wrote yesterday that this WH meeting would at least finally show Ze and Ukraine where the Trump administration is now on the war - one way or another. It’s now clear they are with Russia. Ukraine can now adjust. But it will fight on. It has no choice as Ukrainians know this fight is one for their very survival.
Trump will cut military aid to Ukraine, and likely lift sanctions on Russia. This will cause many more Ukrainian lives to be lost - blood now on the hands of Trump and Vance.
For Western business it will become a nightmare navigating Western sanctions as Europe will keep them in place. Imagine a U.S. bank with operations in Europe - who does it comply with?
NATO is dead. The Transatlantic alliance is dead. Good luck to the U.S. standing up to China with the $2 trillion Russian economy by its side, rather than the $26 trillion European economy.
Russia might have the advantage now in the war with Ukraine but it still has to take that advantage and deliver that into victory on the battlefield. That’s going to be hard in reality as Russia lacks the troops to take and occupy much more of Ukraine. Actually it could still be a poisoned chalice for Putin.
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A serious critique of this text should address two major issues: an overly optimistic view of Europe's power and cohesion, and an ignorance of the deep structural weaknesses in EU governance and policymaking.
1. Europe Has a Large Economy but Little Control Over It
The text claims that Europe, with its $26 trillion economy, can replace a strategic alliance with the U.S. However, this is an oversimplification. The EU is an economic giant, but politically and militarily, it is a dwarf. Many European assets are effectively under U.S. control, including foreign reserves, financial markets, and key global trade infrastructures that are dependent on the dollar. The U.S. has repeatedly demonstrated that it can cripple European banks and corporations through extraterritorial sanctions (e.g., Iran and Russia). Europe is also heavily dependent on external sources for energy and raw materials, a weakness that became glaringly evident during the Ukraine crisis.
2. The EU Is a Dead Union
The author speaks of Europe's "resistance" against Russia but ignores the fact that the EU is deeply divided. Countries like Hungary, Slovakia, and even factions within Germany and France are no longer willing to continue supporting the war. Europe cannot maintain its own security without U.S. backing, which is precisely why NATO is an existential necessity for it. If the U.S. withdraws military aid to Ukraine, Europe neither has the weapons nor the political will to fill the gap.
3. Is Russia Really an Existential Threat to Europe?
One of the text's central claims is that "Russia is an existential threat to Europe." But if Europe truly believed this, it would have already strengthened its militaries. Instead, European defense spending as a percentage of GDP remains far lower than that of the U.S. or even China. This suggests that Europe either does not take the threat seriously or, if it does, lacks the capability to respond meaningfully.
4. The Future of the Ukraine War
The text claims that Ukraine has "no choice but to fight." However, given the current war of attrition, Ukraine will eventually reach a point where it can no longer sustain the fight. Europe may offer assistance, but the volume of arms it can supply is insignificant compared to the demands of the battlefield. The U.S. has been the backbone of Ukraine's support—if that backbone collapses, Europe cannot replace it.
Conclusion
This text is emotionally charged but analytically weak. Contrary to the author’s assertions, Europe lacks the ability to defend itself, let alone save Ukraine. The EU is more of a common economic market than a serious geopolitical or military alliance. In reality, the Ukraine war has not demonstrated Europe's strength—it has exposed its profound weaknesses.
You can think what you want about Trump, and you do seem to suffer from TDS a bit Mr. Ash, but to come to the WH apparently high on something and lose it, is not what I's call being LFW (Leader of the Free World).
It's not even basic statesmanship, Mr. Ash. It is being irreparably idiotic.
And then, after years pretending he spoke English, the Ze goes on FOX and needs an interpreter to understand the word "regret".