Summary

A dramatic Oval Office confrontation between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored Trump’s hostility toward Ukraine and preference for negotiating with Russia.

Unlike past presidents who handled tense exchanges with allies privately, Trump and JD Vance berated Zelenskyy on camera, siding with Russia over a democratic ally.

This marked a break from decades of bipartisan U.S. policy that prioritized supporting democracies for stability and economic benefits.

Republicans largely praised Trump’s stance, while Democrats and European leaders firmly backed Ukraine. The meeting ended with Zelenskyy being asked to leave after warning that Putin would eventually attack NATO countries.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 days ago

    Democracies everywhere breathe a sigh of relief.

    Edit: are the downvotes are because I didn’t say thank you to the American people. ?

    • Bezier
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      222 days ago

      You can’t seriously think that trump’s bullshit makes anything better.

        • @pivot_root
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          72 days ago

          You realize that if America isn’t “defending” democracies for personal gain, they’re tearing them down for personal gain instead… right?

    • @PugJesus
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      202 days ago

      As atrocious as our foreign policy has been over the years, we have been far more keen to pressure authoritarian allies into democratic reforms than other major powers with their allies.

      PR matters - it isn’t separate from policy, it both shapes and is shaped by policy. And our PR was centered around the idea of being a friend to democracy. That doesn’t mean we actually were a friend to democracy - but it does mean that every action against democracy, or every inaction failing to defend it - carried an additional cost - in more intensive propaganda, in lies or subterfuge, in manufacturing issues - that it will no longer carry going forward.

      tl;dr; you thought our foreign policy was shitty before? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.