Trump is correct on Ukraine and right to put Zelensky on the spot
Multiple times on this site over the last three years, I have advocated for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
I have argued that Americans were well within our rights to ask hard and needed questions about the various tripwires littering the battlefields in Ukraine, which could trigger World War III; the background and connections of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; strict accountability for the hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars shoveled into the country by the Biden-Harris administration; off-shore bank accounts; if regime change in Russia was the ultimate goal, with Ukraine being used as a proxy; and the more than 1 million human beings killed or wounded in that war.
So many seemed unwilling to pose these questions. Why?
Since the outbreak of the war, it has seemed that “journalism” partially disappeared as many of the “news” reports about the war began with “Ukraine says …” or “Zelensky says …” News editors and journalists are human. Humans have biases. That said, the professional and ethical standards of journalists should override such biases.
Unfortunately, as we saw when then-businessman Donald Trump first declared his intention to run for president and a number of journalists quickly identified themselves as part of the “resistance” against him, ethics and professionalism can be put to the side based upon ideology, personal animus or a mob mentality. But at what cost to the actual truth and the welfare of our nation?
The same question now pertains to Ukraine. I have no problem with anyone being vehemently opposed to Vladimir Putin and Russia. But such opposition should not blind them to the obvious questions that must still be asked about what is best for the U.S. and our people.
And guess who has been asking those questions — while issuing critically needed warnings — since day one? Trump.
During the earliest months of the war, while making an appearance on 77 WABC radio, then-former President Trump was asked by host John Catsimatidis what things “keep you up at night?” Trump answered, “I think more than anything else, I think we could end up in World War III and it could be because of all of the horrible things that took place in Ukraine.”
For three years, Trump has not only been warning about the war in Ukraine igniting World War III but crying out to stop the tragic slaughter of the human beings caught in the crosshairs. Warning and cries that were ignored by so many, especially on the left and in journalism.
This fact is curious when you realize that so many from the left and in journalism spoke out so loudly and consistently against the war in Iraq because of the deaths triggered by the “illegal war” of President George W. Bush. Where have those voices been for the last three years? By any accurate and honest measurement, many more have been killed or wounded in Ukraine than the Iraq War.
This week, Trump rightfully decided to put Zelensky on the spot via a Truth Social post. He wrote: “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and ‘TRUMP,’ will never be able to settle … On top of this, Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING.’ He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden ‘like a fiddle.’ A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left…I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died — And so it continues …”
How did Zelensky respond to Trump calling him out? Not wisely. Answered Zelensky, in part: “Unfortunately, President Trump — I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for, the American people who always support us — unfortunately lives in this disinformation space.”
Not surprisingly, Vice President JD Vance immediately snapped back at Zelensky by saying, “The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president's mind by badmouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration.”
Note to the outraged: Zelensky is now the leader of Ukraine only because of martial law. His term expired almost one year ago. Zelensky says that elections will not be held until six months after the end of martial law. Who is in charge of ending martial law? Zelensky.
Why is he so afraid of the will of the Ukrainian people? On Wednesday of this week, Newsweek put out this: “There are concerns that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could be ousted from office after President Donald Trump said that Kyiv should hold elections, according to British newspaper The Telegraph.”
Again, if he were “ousted,” would that not be because of the will of his own people? You know, democracy in action.
For three years, Trump has been asking questions in the best interests of our nation; been issuing warnings in the best interests of the world; and has been crying out for the over one million killed or wounded. The silence from those who oppose him has not only been deafening but deadly.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
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