OPINION:
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on various national media programs called out Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “incredibly disrespectful,” an “insult” to the Oval Office, “argumentative” and akin to an “ex-girlfriend” who wants to fight about stuff that happened years ago.
Add to the list “poser” — meaning someone who pretends to be something they’re not, i.e. President Poser — and that’s pretty much Zelenskyy in brief.
After all, a foreign leader who’s taken billions of American tax dollars to fight an enemy so as to achieve peace for his country ought to a) be grateful for the money and b) take a peace deal when it’s offered.
President Trump’s mineral deal with Ukraine is a fair tradeoff. It’s a good tradeoff. It’s a smart deal. Strategically speaking, America needs sources of natural resources; Ukraine needs security and peace. Win meet win.
That Zelenskyy instead wanted to puff his chest — his sports attired, not suit jacket-ed and tie-wearing chest, by the way — inside one of America’s most hallowed places of power, in front of the faces of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, as well as scores of members of the media, well, that’s called a stupid move.
The rundown is this: Vance broached the idea of diplomacy to end Ukraine’s war with Russia. Zelenskyy spoke about Russia President Vladimir Putin’s years and years and years of hostilities with Ukraine, while implying Vance had no idea what he was talking about — and Vance responded with this: “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country. I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems; you should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to conflict,” he said, The Hill reported.
Yes. Insert grateful and humble thanks here, President Zelenskyy — but alas, it wasn’t to be.
“First of all,” Zelenskyy said, “during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future.”
Bad move.
Trump jumped in: “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
Quite right.
Americans don’t need to be lectured by a foreign leader who can’t even be bothered to put on a suit and dress shoes for a meeting in the White House — who crosses his arms and raises his voice — who interrupts and whose entire demeanor is one of arrogance — and who then refuses to agree to peace terms that would bring about the stability his country so desperately wants and needs; a peace deal he has said on numerous previous occasions he oh so badly wants.
Those aren’t the actions of a genuine president and leader who sets aside personal feelings to achieve what’s necessary for the good of his country.
Those are the actions of an actor — a pretend president — a president in name only — who lets his pride and personal ambition cloud his judgment.
Word is Zelenskyy was influenced by Democrat insiders from previous administrations who told him to refuse the minerals deal. Regardless, it’s to Zelenskyy’s detriment — and to the woe of Ukrainians.
“Zelenskyy thanks US for support after week of tough diplomacy, urges ‘real peace,’” ABC just wrote in an update on the latest push for peace.
“Zelenskyy says he is still willing to sign a rare earth minerals deal with Trump,” Fox News just wrote in another update.
Peace is still possible. The peace deal — giving America minerals’ rights in partial payback of the billions of tax dollars used to bail out Ukraine — is still possible. But: pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall, as the Bible warns.
If Zelenskyy wants America to help Ukraine achieve peace, he must first lose the arrogance.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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