Posted on 03/01/2025 5:27:31 PM PST by DoodleBob
Just hours after the terse exchange at the White House between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on one side and US President Trump and Vice President JD Vance on the other, European leaders were quick to voice their full support for the war-torn country.
What the world hoped would be a productive meeting between leaders of the two countries after they traded jabs last week quickly turned into a heated spat, resulting in a shouting match in the White House's Oval Office.
Trump berated Zelenskyy, saying: “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 say they should have."
Shortly after the heated and at times angry words mainly aimed at Zelenskyy, Europe's top politicians took to X to express their continued unconditional support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine.
"Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine," the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated.
"Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It is up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge," she said.
"Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people ... You are never alone dear President Zelenskyy," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted.
Other top officials from the European Union also mirrored von der Leyen's post, further reiterating Brussels' support.
Friedrich Merz, who is likely to become Germany's new chancellor, posted: "We must never confuse agressor and victim in this terrible war."
Meanwhile, outgoing German leader Olaf Scholz emphasised that no one wants peace more than Ukraine, adding that Kyiv can fully rely on Berlin and Europe.
Many other European leaders, including those of France, UK, Poland, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Germany, Lithuania, Moldova and Sweden chimed in with their support as well.
French President Emmanuel Macron did not mince words, stating, "There is an aggressor: Russia. There is a victim: Ukraine."
"We were right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago — and to keep doing so."
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he "retains unwavering support for Ukraine," in a statement from 10 Downing Street on Friday evening, while his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez wrote on X "Ukraine, Europe stands with you" in three languages — Spanish, English and Ukrainian.
But Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban went against the tide of support for Ukraine and thanked Trump.
Trump took to his own social media platform, Truth Social, shortly after the meeting with Zelenskyy, saying that the rare minerals deal was off.
"I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," the US president said.
"I don’t want advantage, I want peace. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace."
"Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you president, Congress, and the American people," the Ukrainian leader said in a post-meeting message on X on Friday.
To be clear, I’ve been steadfast in my moral support for Ukraine as the country whose sovereignty was violated. Russia is the Bad Guy, and Putin is a murderous immoral thug who dumped his wife for a younger. I also don’t want one penny of US Treasury going to either country. Good luck, y’all.
Russia has the advantage of more bodies. Ukraine HAD the moral high ground; Zelensky tapped that lifeline for hundreds of billions. Thus, Ukraine must either kill all the invading Russians to win, or negotiate to avoid losing. That’s unfair, but there is no law here - it’s war.
Alas, as Condolleza Rice said, quite accurately, R-UK is now a World War 1 type of situation. A generation is getting wiped out in a stalemate. All that money and treasure for nothing.
With Trump 2.0, Zelinsky’s aid lifeline is stopped. That means negotiation and mediation is the only alternative to Russia taking Ukraine as a new wholly-owned subsidiary.
Anyone who’s ever played the role of mediator understands that both sides have to walk away with something. They have to come back and face the eyes of friends and family.
Trump nailed it, when he said both sides hate each other and they need a mediator who is neutral if they want to solve this through diplomacy. Jill Biden couldn’t mediate because she wasn’t neutral. Trump is neutral and both sides will work with him. That’s Trump’s argument.
Zelensky, for what ever reason, thinks either Trump diplomacy won’t work - despite 4 years of empirical evidence of peace under Trump 1.0 - or thinks he can go it alone. Or his handlers thought Trump would cave-a laughable assessment.
Thus, Z turns to Europe. However, Tweets and talk are cheap.
Unless Europe steps in with a new line of credit or young men, or unless Z goes back to DC and issues a mega apology to Trump, this will end badly for Ukraine.
This is Europe’s mess, let Europe deal with it.
They can pound sand. Bye Ukraine. Europe won’t do a thing to actually stop Pooty. They’ve got a history.
They’re united in their position that the US must keep paying money to Ukraine.
Lilliputians Untie!
They’re united in their position that the US must keep paying money to Ukraine.
Precisely.
I agree. Europe needs the resources from Russia as they are losing the colonies in Africa and the East. If it would not have been Ukraine, it would have been something else. Also a war will eliminate the unpayable debt of the EU.
Without US assistance they are running out of people over there. Heck even Biden thought he was an ungrateful little guy. This is Europe’s war let them deal with Putin.
Europe needs the resources from Russia as they are losing the colonies in Africa and the East.
><
Which colonies are they losing?
“Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine,”
Ukraine is not the US, so knock yourselves out. Americans should not be expected to financially support ungrateful beggars. Europe can support Ukraine on their own.
Ukraine has no high ground for anyone that doesn’t listen to the MSM. Even the IMF has called Ukraine one of the most corrupt nations on earth. Combine that with the actual Nazi military units still in existence and the fact that instead of honoring the Minsk Agreements they chose instead to start bombing Ukrainians of Russian decent, Ukraine never had any moral high ground.
That’s right. And Trump isn’t going to bail them out.
Limeys can get out of The Malvinas, this is OUR Hemisphere, not theirs’.
Let’s hope that this kills NATO. It is long past time for it to die.
Exactly. Big talk, no action.
Ukraine and Russia are one in the same, both are evil and we should let them fight it out till they destroy each other!
There’s an old phrase go where you’re wanted for every Germany there is a Poland for every Canada there is a Japan. We don’t need the world we can do fine being on our own.
The Brits are bankrupt as well so they will be of no use..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.