For Ukraine, under Trump It’s ‘Please Wait’
Published in Der Standard
(Austria) on 29 January 2025
by Florian Niederndorfer (link to original)
(Austria) on 29 January 2025
by Florian Niederndorfer (link to original)
Translated from
by Peter Carioca.
Edited by Patricia Simoni .
New U.S. President Donald Trump is unlikely to be very interested in the fate of the invaded country. Instead of strengthening Ukraine, Trump is doing a full frontal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy [understood] "America first,” of course, but probably hoped for "Ukraine second"; however, as he listened to Donald Trump's inauguration speech in Washington last week, he was disappointed. The new U.S. president did not say a word about the war in Eastern Europe, which Trump had wanted to end within 24 hours.
Deportations, the Gulf of Mexico, transgender people, Trump's own greatness — all of these are important topics for the "dealmaker.” Ukraine merely seems to annoy him. No wonder, as there are no quick successes that would make Trump look good at home and on the world stage — keyword being China. The charm offensive that Zelenskyy wanted to use to get Trump on his side is in danger of failing.
Of course, strategists in Kyiv know that when it comes to Ukraine, Trump views his own image first and foremost. During his first term in office, Trump wanted to make domestic political money at the expense of Ukraine: In 2019, he withheld military aid while he urged Zelenskyy to investigate Hunter Biden.
On the other hand, it was Trump, of all people, who later sent modern Javelin anti-tank weapons to Kyiv, which made decisive blows to Russia at the beginning of the war. Purposeful optimism was quite appropriate — because there was no alternative.
’No Angel’
The fact that disillusionment came so quickly is still surprising. Instead of strengthening Ukraine, Trump prefers to rant about Zelenskyy's complicity ("no angel") in Russia's war. If he simply hadn't defended himself against Russia back in 2022 — everything would have been fine. On Sunday, Trump froze humanitarian aid for Kyiv for the time being. This can be taken as "please wait.”
Time is running out for Ukraine. If it continues like this, the war will be lost. The 24 hours that Trump had set as the deadline to end the war during the election campaign has long passed. The new deadline of "100 days" will also not be enough to end the war. Russian leader Vladimir Putin believes that he is winning the war despite the increasing economic hardship, and nearly all indicators at the front prove him right. Trump probably doesn't know if he needs to negotiate now.
With threats of sanctions and punitive tariffs, the U.S. president will not force Putin to surrender while the Ukrainian front is gradually collapsing. If he intends to do so at all.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy [understood] "America first,” of course, but probably hoped for "Ukraine second"; however, as he listened to Donald Trump's inauguration speech in Washington last week, he was disappointed. The new U.S. president did not say a word about the war in Eastern Europe, which Trump had wanted to end within 24 hours.
Deportations, the Gulf of Mexico, transgender people, Trump's own greatness — all of these are important topics for the "dealmaker.” Ukraine merely seems to annoy him. No wonder, as there are no quick successes that would make Trump look good at home and on the world stage — keyword being China. The charm offensive that Zelenskyy wanted to use to get Trump on his side is in danger of failing.
Of course, strategists in Kyiv know that when it comes to Ukraine, Trump views his own image first and foremost. During his first term in office, Trump wanted to make domestic political money at the expense of Ukraine: In 2019, he withheld military aid while he urged Zelenskyy to investigate Hunter Biden.
On the other hand, it was Trump, of all people, who later sent modern Javelin anti-tank weapons to Kyiv, which made decisive blows to Russia at the beginning of the war. Purposeful optimism was quite appropriate — because there was no alternative.
’No Angel’
The fact that disillusionment came so quickly is still surprising. Instead of strengthening Ukraine, Trump prefers to rant about Zelenskyy's complicity ("no angel") in Russia's war. If he simply hadn't defended himself against Russia back in 2022 — everything would have been fine. On Sunday, Trump froze humanitarian aid for Kyiv for the time being. This can be taken as "please wait.”
Time is running out for Ukraine. If it continues like this, the war will be lost. The 24 hours that Trump had set as the deadline to end the war during the election campaign has long passed. The new deadline of "100 days" will also not be enough to end the war. Russian leader Vladimir Putin believes that he is winning the war despite the increasing economic hardship, and nearly all indicators at the front prove him right. Trump probably doesn't know if he needs to negotiate now.
With threats of sanctions and punitive tariffs, the U.S. president will not force Putin to surrender while the Ukrainian front is gradually collapsing. If he intends to do so at all.
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