Trump/Zelensky interview in the White House

Churchill was by no means a hero to everyone in this country Kandinsky. But would you rather we, and most of Europe, now lived under Nazism?

PoliticsNerd but you have to remember that all information on the character of a politician is through the prism of social media. We don’t know Trump. We will never be anywhere him. He is not the class bully in that sense.

Trump has enormous political power. I don’t think that he overstepped his role when suggesting Zelensky work out a peace agreement and not another ten years of war.

What do Ukrainians think of Zelensky?
I must admit I haven’t followed this war that closely ( or hardly at all tbh )
I know he was seen as a hero when it all started but not too sure now. According to some things I’ve read online he’s not a ‘hero’ to everyone in Ukraine.
And how much money has America given him? They can’t keep throwing money at him.
I don’t know why America always gives money to Europes problems - what has Europe got to do with him?
Let the UK, France & Germany pay the bill.

Although America did help us with a massive loan after WW2. I don’t know what we would have done without their help back then.

ronib

Think it through Iam64 Putin fantasies about dropping nuclear bombs on London. I think we’re in very dangerous territory. We need a very clear and cool plan and I don’t see one.

You are taking us into the fantasies provided by Putin and Trump.

War has always meant a fight to a possible death to avoid something worse. No-one wants war but sometimes the alternative "life" is worse.

ronib

I don’t understand why such a serious issue is being clouded by queries around Trump’s character. It’s important to see beyond the individual players.
America is not obliged to continue to pay huge amounts to Ukraine for an unknown number of years. Exactly who is bullying who?

Doesn't someone's character help you determine who you trust and don't trust ronib?

Did you "trust" the sneak and bully at school, gor instance?

Think it through Iam64 Putin fantasies about dropping nuclear bombs on London. I think we’re in very dangerous territory. We need a very clear and cool plan and I don’t see one.

Exactly, Iam64. How can anyone watch that and think that Trump and Vance's behaviour was not bullying? It was an utter disgrace - and that's putting it mildly. Being critical of their disgusting treatment of Zelensky certainly does not mean that any of us are not taking account of the wider picture. Far from it.

Not agreeing that Trump is correct, doesn’t mean a desire for ww3

I don’t understand why such a serious issue is being clouded by queries around Trump’s character. It’s important to see beyond the individual players.
America is not obliged to continue to pay huge amounts to Ukraine for an unknown number of years. Exactly who is bullying who?

Are people

PoliticsNerd I hear you but have you heard Trump? He doesn’t want to pay for more soldiers to die. His money, his choice. When Trump commands go and work out your peace, that is an honourable demand.
The number of nuclear warheads held by Russia is in excess of 6000. We have a fraction. To go to WW3 over a territorial dispute in Ukraine is to choose a battle we will not win.
Our people without pity for all the many lives which have been lost so far?

I don’t understand your admiration of Trump, ronib. Of course peace is the aim but lasting peace means the aggressor being defeated, unlikely in this case. Or the aggressor being persuaded the error of their ways. That won’t happen either with the Trump appeasing the aggressor and deliberately humiliating the President of the victims

Putin doesn't need to 'drop by the White House'- he's been in the back rooms for quite a while and now has a seat in the Oval Office.

You think people don't want peace? It was Putin who wanted war and he got what he asked for. He is a weak leader who is running out of options, taking over the leading light of democracy by stealth is now his only option, but his big mistake was thinking Trump had an ounce of intelligence in him.

ronib

Trump did make one point in that Ukraine was expecting him to fund the war for the next ten years and Trump won’t do that. Trump is someone who is a complete enigma because from one point of view, he’s completely right. The killing has to stop and Ukraine was showing a desire to extend the fight using American money. This would seem to be undeniable. The choice is to extend the conflict whilst America drops out.
Interesting.
Also Trump seems to have an impeccable sense of timing- he hosted Starmer on Thursday and Zelensky on Friday. So we had Starmer’s simpering and almost vassal like visit in full public view followed by Zelensky’s public humiliation the next day. I doubt that Putin will be dropping by the White House anytime soon.

This is a war in Ukraine ronib. The aggressors are Russia. America has always been a bit of a fairweather friend and so it is now. Europe both wants to and must ally with Ukraine, if only for our own safety.

The United States, by means of their elected leader, may become an enemy of our country. His "impeccable timing" is because he supports Russia over Ukraine and therefore over Europe. He certainly doesn't want to be Europe's ally - and we are part of Europe. Where will you stand if he (and sadly America) become our enemy?

Will you still support Trump then?

If nobody wants war, what are the plans for stopping it?

By saying that, you are endorsing bullying and attempts at public humiliation of a president love0c. Is that how you roll?
Nobody wants war, but the vast majority of us do want fair play.

I did not side with either of them. I just think when will this war finish. It has cost billions in lives and money.

foxie48

What 's going to be difficult is our reliance on American technology in our armaments. Also I think Musk will turn Starlink off which will present a real problem for Ukraine. France is mainly equipped with it's own weapons but most of Europe has, I believe, bought into US weaponry and it's supporting technology.

I wrote a list somewhere of what we import from the US. It was mainly large stuff. Not so much household goods.

The whole thing just confirmed that the late Janey Godley was spot on about Trump - and Vance is another one too!

What 's going to be difficult is our reliance on American technology in our armaments. Also I think Musk will turn Starlink off which will present a real problem for Ukraine. France is mainly equipped with it's own weapons but most of Europe has, I believe, bought into US weaponry and it's supporting technology.

LauraNorderr

That is the worst thing I’ve ever watched. I am shocked, disgusted, frightened and feel physically sick. I feel as though I have woken from a nightmare. Did that really happen.
I sincerely hope that our king and our government withdraw the invitation to Balmoral and turn our back on the USA until these evil b******ds are removed from office.
I hope that the rest of the western world unite in support of the honourable President Zelensky and the very brave Ukrainian people.
God help us all.

Agree totally. What an appalling spectacle.

If the US wants to be an ally of Putin, to withdraw from NATO, and no longer be an ally of Europe, we should see the writing on the wall and treat the US as we would any other potential threat to our national security. Europe needs to pull together now and double down on defence and insist that the US removes its bases and weaponry from our shores. We don’t need a rogue state using our country as a launching pad.

Zelensky is running a war - what on earth were you expecting? Morning suit and top hat?

Did Vance actually say "you haven't thanked us enough!"

And if this is the way that Bully Boy Trump treats a visiting head of state then how is he going to treat the ordinary American voters - the Little People?

King Charles needs to think again about the invite for a State Visit - he should remember when Trump last visited and when the Queen invited him to inspect the guard Trump arrogantly walked in front of her.

Charming!

Doodledog

It was horrible to watch.

It certainly was. Especially with Vance treating Zelenskyy like a naughty schoolboy. How dare he? The Americans behaved disgracefully.