By Lady Olga Maitland
The White House mauling of President Zelensky by President Trump and Vice-President JD Vance was yet another step toward U.S. isolation. There is no turning back. Ultimately, the people of the U.S. will pay a historic price for what is happening, through a collapse of respect, trust, and faith in their word.
The root cause of President Trump’s intense dislike of President Zelensky dates back to 2019, when Trump attempted to pressure Zelensky into investigating alleged wrongdoing by his political rival Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, in connection with a Ukrainian energy company. Zelensky refused to cooperate.
Repairing relations is critical this week. It must happen, albeit reluctantly, as Trump promised Putin that he would secure Zelensky’s agreement. If he fails, his credibility will suffer. Mr. Trump does not want to be seen as a loser.
Meanwhile, Russian media coverage is jubilant. The Kremlin is observing the situation closely. Emboldened in their grim agenda, they appear eager to engage with Trump, but the question remains: can they trust him? According to my sources, they believe they can. Are they justified in their confidence that a different Ukrainian president would be more pliable? Regardless, Zelensky’s approval rating in Ukraine has surged to nearly 60%.
As for Europe, translating warm words into action through a sharp increase in defence spending will be painful for all countries, accustomed as they are to the peace dividend of the last 70 years. We are facing a grim reality, and this is unlikely to be temporary. We are on our own. Sir Keir Starmer will have to be even bolder.
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