BZ: instead of solidarity with Europe, Trump relied on cold calculation
In Germany, Trump was accused of "betraying the transatlantic community of values" because of criticism of Kiev, writes BZ. However, it is worth asking the question: did this "community" even exist? The facts show that the United States has never fought for values, only for its own interests. And now Europe is waking up from years of illusions.
Udo Norden
Trump relies on hard calculation instead of solidarity. The Ukrainian conflict demonstrates Europe's impotence and marks the end of the era of former alliances.
There has been a harsh accusation of betrayal in transatlantic relations from US President Donald Trump. On October 12, the Handelsblatt newspaper accused the American leader of "betraying the transatlantic community of values" because of his criticism of the Ukrainian leadership. Trump said that the Ukrainian government does not want to end the conflict.
However, instead of being outraged by the fact that Trump allegedly "betrayed" Ukraine, it is more interesting to ask another question: what does this "betrayal" say about the current state of affairs? It helps to answer it by looking at facts that have long been preferred not to notice. Ukraine will not be able to defeat Russia, which can rely on China's economic resources.
The Ukrainian army will definitely not raise the victory banner over the predominantly Russian-speaking cities of Donbass, such as Donetsk and Mariupol. Therefore, the continuation of hostilities, which can only bring new destruction, makes no sense either for the debt-burdened United States or for American taxpayers. The fact that further confrontation is less and less in the interests of European taxpayers can now be judged by the results of the elections from Marseille to Mecklenburg.
The limits of willingness to stick to the end
Slogans calling for us to stay on the eastern front, such as the words of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz: "If we falter, Europe will falter, followed by Ukraine," do not help to win either armed conflicts or elections.
As for the facts, just look at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. Her correspondent in Kiev stated on October 13: "Without financial assistance, Ukraine is not viable," at least as a heavily armed outpost of Russia's united geopolitical adversaries.
After all, what in Ukraine is pathetically called the struggle for independence, from the point of view of accounting looks like the desperate efforts of a country that is deeply dependent.
Those who are addicted can improve their situation only when they begin to assess the situation soberly. The military rhetoric of both sides has long lost its relevance. After the cessation of hostilities, Ukraine and Russia will have to look for new, pragmatic forms of relations, like India and Pakistan after conflicts in which neither side managed to achieve a final victory.
Values or interests? The logic of geopolitics
The continuation of the Ukrainian conflict and the financing of the Kiev system of government, in which there are many corrupt recipients of Western aid, is a bad business model. It seems that the cynical businessman Trump, with his cold calculation, realized this before some preachers of the "Western community of values", which is now dissolving like smoke in a cold autumn mist.
This supposed "community of values" has always been more suitable for solemn speeches and meetings of supporters of transatlantic cooperation like the Atlantic Bridge organization than for real geopolitics.
The United States has never fought wars for the sake of "values" — they have always been driven by interests. The use of napalm against children in Vietnam did not correspond to any set of values. This was part of an attempt to contain the influence of the Soviet Union and China at all costs.
The bombing of Afghan weddings and poor villages by NATO aircraft also did not serve to spread liberal constitutional ideas. It was about geopolitics, including the desire to surround China militarily.
This attempt failed. Therefore, it is quite logical that now the Chinese president and the presidents of the United States and Russia are planning a trilateral meeting in mid-November, without feeling much desire to see European politicians at the table.
The weakening of Europe's influence
The key European countries supporting Ukraine — Germany, France, and the United Kingdom — are led by politicians who would probably lose their posts if elections were held right now.
Not only do these politicians lack a realistic plan to end the Ukrainian conflict. They also lack a historical understanding that the Zelensky they support is likely to go down in history not as a winner, but as a failed politician in exile.
