https://quadrant.org.au/news-opinions/america/the-only-game-in-town/
It would be nice if plucky Ukraine could win the war, but that’s impossible. Trump, like him or not, grasps what his critics refuse to see
Last Tuesday evening I had the delightful experience of watching Sean Spicer, Trump’s first press secretary in 2017, putting Andrew Bolt right about Trump and Ukraine, followed by the lovely Miranda Devine (the Aussie at the New York Post) doing a similar job on Sharri Markson. I just wonder whether Bolt and Markson do any homework. Did they view the whole press conference at the Oval Office? It seems not. Otherwise, they would not have arrived at the characterisation of the meeting which fed their prejudices.
Did they know of the difficulties Trump’s emissary Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Marco Rubio had in separately in dealing with Zelensky in the lead up to him coming to Washington? Both were both given the brush off by Zelensky when trying to get the minerals deal done.
Did they know that Zelensky met with leading Democrats immediately before meeting Trump? What an extraordinary underhand meeting to have had. It seriously calls into question his judgement and frame of mind.
It was wonderful near the end of President Trump’s State of the Union Address when he figuratively waved the letter from Zelensky in which he offered to sign the minerals deal and participate in peace talks. What a quick turnabout almost immediately after the armament supplies were suspended.
Here is a brief selection of quotes which I read from various commentariat glitterati following the spat at the White House.