꧙It was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epic of incredulity, it was the season of darkness, it was the winter of despair. Did I miss the age of wisdom, the spring of hope and everything bright in between? Perhaps because it isn’t! Is the age of chivalry dead? The era of allies standing by each other like a rock–long gone?
ꦦThe head of a war stricken, badly wounded nation went to an old ally for help. He was met with sarcasm. As soon as US President Trump received him at the West Wing, he took a sartorial dig at President Zelensky, saying, “You are all dressed up today!” As if that wasn’t enough, once in the Oval Office, the Chief White House Correspondent Brian Glenn, in the presence of (if not at the behest of) Trump asked Zelensky, “Why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit?” The question left Trump and US Vice President JD Vance “in splits”. It wasn’t to mock or not to mock, it was a question of who mocketh best?
🅰Zelensky quipped, “I will wear one after I finish this war!” It was remarkable how he held his own. Trump and Vance missed no opportunity to hound him. In fact, it was like two teenagers accosting a lone man in a park. Vance’s stance was rather aggressive. He was not speaking to Zelensky as a Vice President of a country ought to address a visiting President of a nation—albeit one on the verge of complete destruction! Zelensky politely said, “Please, you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war….” Trump cut him off with, “He’s not speaking loudly…Your country is in big trouble! You are not winning this. You have a damn good choice of coming out okay because of us…” It was an utter disaster. Must have made the likes of Lincoln, Washington and Roosevelt turn in their graves!
✤ No diplomatic etiquette was visible at this rather uncultured “meeting”, let alone nuances. During such meetings, where two heads of states are present, the host nation is traditionally, culturally and historically expected to be cultivated, courteous and generous. In this case, in fact, even more so! A battered ally had come to the “Leader of the free world” seeking help to stand up against a well-known belligerent and this is how he was treated? I hope Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea and all the other naïve nations which think of the United States as an “all weather friend” were watching the ill treatment of Zelensky at the White House closely. America has neither friends nor foes, she has her own interests. Where Trump’s interests exactly lie is yet to be certain, but it seems like he is all set to change the old world order. According to his mouthpieces, he hasn’t “abandoned an ally,” he is simply “recalibrating” US foreign policy.
🅷In 2011, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Hillary Clinton, the then US Secretary of State, for the mass protests in Russia against his authoritarian regime. The then FBI Director testified that Putin “disliked Clinton” and preferred Trump. In fact, an expert in Russian security affairs, Andrei Soldatov said that “the Kremlin believes that with Clinton in the White House it will be almost impossible to lift sanctions against Russia. So it is a very important question for Putin personally. This is a question of national security.”
𒅌 Come 2016, Putin was ready to give Clinton a taste of her own medicine when she was contesting the presidential elections. Trump defeated her in the elections. In January 2017, the office of the Director of National Intelligence (with inputs from the FBI, the CIA and the NSA) of the United States delivered a declassified report, which uncovered how Putin had ordered “an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia's goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency.” The report further assessed that, “Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.” Where Trump’s loyalty lies, perhaps we will never know, but at this point in time, he’s surely playing for Putin’s team.
ꦍ Does this mean a new world order? It certainly does! The number one sworn enemy of the United States is now a friend. The “Transatlantic alliance” is in serious jeopardy. Trump blamed Ukraine for “having started the war with Russia.” It is indeed blatant defiance. The fact remains that three years ago, Putin invaded Ukraine without any provocation from the Ukrainian side. Not only has Trump left American allies and friendly nations stunned, he has shown utter disrespect for an elected head of a state of a sovereign nation.
🍌During the Cold war, America needed friends. During the Cuban missile crisis, America needed friends. And when President Bush declared the “War on terror,” he famously said, you are either with us or them–dividing the world into two—America needed friends. The United States might be a mighty superpower, she isn’t invincible. In world politics, scenarios change fast, tables turn in the blink of an eye, empires fall, nations rise from the dust. Trump should have had been just and played the part of a more mature statesperson, rather than humiliating a guest in public. Even in private, gloves don’t come off like they did in the Oval Office, let alone in front of the world media. In fact, Trump said, “This is going to be great television.” Coming from the “most powerful man” on earth, this is deplorable, to say the least.
💞 Diplomacy is an age old, indispensable tool in world politics and international relations. Winston Churchill once said, “It is always an error in diplomacy to press a matter when it is quite clear that no further progress is to be made.” What happened at the White House was an unprecedented case of “Diplomatic mugging.” The suspicion has to be that the Americans were waiting for Zelensky. For a host to welcome you with a distasteful comment about what you are wearing–how deplorable! That too, a leader of an invaded nation who has been fighting like a valiant soldier on the ground since day one.
ꦉThe meeting was not so unusual—to begin with, that is. They did try to provoke Zelensky, but he kept his cool until Vance decided to throw a hand grenade into the conversation. Which was unwonted. The Vice President is always present in such meetings but never does he/she intervene, apart from the customary handshake or smile. Vance wanted Zelensky to be grateful for the aid (and thank Trump) that the previous (Biden), administration had provided to Ukraine. Trump said that “a stupid President” gave you all that money. To which Zelensky said, he was your elected President. A ROFL moment indeed! Does America go around the world donating money? No! They invest where they have their vested interests. They sent aid to Ukraine because an enemy’s enemy is a friend. Ukraine is fighting a war against Russia. The same Russia that the US fought a “cold” war with for nearly five decades. Also, according to the US Geological Survey, Ukraine is the world’s top producer of critical minerals like graphite, titanium sponge and ilmenite. Ukraine also has an abundance of rare earth elements and rare earth reserves.
﷽The recent unfortunate events have left no one in doubt about America and America’s “friendship.” It was most heartening to see the European heads of states rally behind Zelensky. India’s situation is precarious. We are doing fine at the moment. Russia is our old ally. And a time tested one. In the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, the US sent Task Force 74 (Seventh Fleet) to the Bay of Bengal to intimidate the Indian forces. It was the Soviet Union that provided us the safety net at the height of the conflict. They sent cruisers, destroyers and a submarine armed with nuclear warheads. The Soviet Navy trailed the American fleet in the Indian Ocean until India’s objectives were achieved. The Soviet defenders left the theatre only after the Americans had departed.
ඣ Adam Schiff (senator from California) summed up the Trump-Zelensky meeting by saying, “A hero and a coward held a meeting in the Oval office. The hero will return home to Ukraine!”
