Non-Left Reactions to Trump’s Word-Missile on Ukraine

 

Editor’s introduction by Walter Donway:

“…warnings in response to President Donald Trump’s policy swerve on Ukraine in its war with Russia.” How do you weigh these viewpoints?

This round up of news and commentary from across (mostly) the conservative and libertarian media captures the surprise, hope, reproach, and warnings in response to President Donald Trump’s policy swerve on Ukraine in its war with Russia. How do you weigh these viewpoints?

Ayn Rand commented on Vietnam.

I was fortunate enough, however, to be around when novelist, philosopher, and pundit-par-excellence, Ayn Rand, was commenting on America’s domestic near-civil-war over our involvement in Vietnam. Remembering what she said may offer a framework for thinking about Ukraine:

1. We should not have gotten into Vietnam’s war.
2. Why make our “last stand” against communist expansion in Southeast Asia when we did not stand in Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, the Baltic nations, Cuba…?
3. But now we are involved, it would be disastrously dangerous (WWIII, she said) to drop our commitment to South Vietnam and all the allies who fought with us, to withdraw, to leave Vietnam to defeat, and concede victory to communism (North Vietnam, China, the Soviet Union).
4. That kind of Munich-like appeasement spelt disaster.
5. It would be America’s first defeat in war—a message to the free world.

She wrote: “No, there is no proper solution for the war in Vietnam: it is a war we should never have entered. To continue it is senseless—to withdraw from it would be one more act of appeasement on our long, shameful record. The ultimate result of appeasement is a world war, as demonstrated by World War II; in today’s context, it may mean a nuclear world war….“In today’s conditions, the only alternative is to fight that war and win it as fast as possible—and thus gain time to develop new statesmen with a new foreign policy.”

 

Background:  Conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated on February 24, 2022, with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This intensified hostilities going back to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and backing for Eastern Ukraine separatists. In invading, Russia referred to alleged threats to its security and the “freeing” of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. By 2025, U.S. intelligence reported Russian military casualties of about 120,000 dead and 195,000 wounded. Ukrainian forces reportedly suffered close to 70,000 deaths and 100,000 wounded. Damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure is estimated at $136 billion. The world, especially the NATO alliance has responded with significant aid—about $407 billion—with $118 billion coming from the United States. (Aid includes military and humanitarian for Ukraine’s government, and for its economy).

 

The Reactions:

This is a scan of reactions in media generally classified as conservative or libertarian to a particular issue raised by an editor; this time on Ukraine:

1. American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

• Title: “If Trump Makes Aggression Normal, Putin and Xi Win”
• Summary: This op-ed discusses the potential global ramifications of President Trump’s approach to international aggression, particularly concerning Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The author argues that by normalizing aggressive territorial expansions, the U.S. inadvertently empowers authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Such a stance could undermine international norms, destabilize global security, and encourage further acts of aggression by adversarial nations. The piece emphasizes the importance of upholding international laws and norms to prevent the erosion of global order and to deter future hostile actions by authoritarian regimes.
• URL: https://www.aei.org/op-eds/if-trump-makes-aggression-normal-putin-and-xi-win/

 

2. Barron’s

• Title: “Trump’s Stance on Ukraine Is Shaking Up Europe. Where Stocks Go From Here.”
• Summary: Barron’s discusses the impact of President Trump’s recent remarks blaming Ukraine for the ongoing war on European and U.S. stock markets. It highlights the divergence in market reactions and the potential implications for European defense stocks and broader economic stability.
• URL: https://www.barrons.com/articles/trumps-ukraine-stocks-europe-markets-5004b3bd

 

3. Breitbart News

• Title: “Ukraine and Europe Worry About Being Sidelined as Trump Pushes Direct Talks with Russia on War’s End”
• Summary: Breitbart News reports on concerns from Ukrainian and European leaders regarding President Trump’s initiative to engage in direct negotiations with Russia to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The exclusion of Ukraine and European allies from these talks has raised fears about potential concessions that could undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and Europe’s security interests. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of including Ukraine in any peace discussions, while European officials stressed the importance of a unified approach to ensure a durable and equitable resolution to the war.
• URL: https://www.breitbart.com/news/ukraine-and-europe-worry-about-being-sidelined-as-trump-pushes-direct-talks-with-russia-on-wars-end/

 

4. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

• Title: “Grand Bargains in History: Trump’s Ukraine Gambit”
• Summary: CSIS explores the Trump administration’s bold yet risky strategy of pursuing a grand bargain with Russia to resolve the Ukraine conflict. The approach aims to reshape the international system by negotiating geopolitical spheres of influence and addressing issues like access to natural resources and modern arms control, including space and cyberspace. Historically, such grand bargains have sought to recalibrate global power dynamics but often failed to end great power rivalries. The article cautions that while this strategy might offer short-term benefits, it carries significant long-term risks, potentially undermining alliances and strategic leverage. The success of this gambit depends on trust in Russia’s commitment to peace and the careful management of geopolitical trade-offs.
• URL: https://www.csis.org/analysis/grand-bargains-history-trumps-ukraine-gambit

 

5. The Free Press

• Title: “No, Mr. President, It Was Russia that Started the War”

Summary: The Free Press criticizes Trump’s recent remarks suggesting that Ukraine bears responsibility for the war. The author emphasizes that Russia initiated the war and argues that misrepresenting this fact could set a dangerous precedent, rewarding aggression and punishing resistance. “An unfortunate reality of this moment is that terms like disinformation, fake news, and lies have been leached of meaning and weaponized by the left. Yet all apply to the president’s words.”

• URL: https://www.thefp.com/p/no-mr-president-it-was-russia-that

 

6. Mises Institute

• Title: “Trump Cannot Allow a Declining Europe to Drag the US Down”
• Summary: The Institute discusses Trump’s announcement of direct negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, excluding other European nations from the talks. The author contends that Europe’s self-imposed decline should not entangle the U.S., and that unilateral action may better serve American interests.
• URL: https://mises.org/mises-wire/trump-cannot-allow-declining-europe-drag-us-down

 

7. New York Post

• Title: “Trump is Asking for FAR too Much ‘Payback’ from War-Torn Ukraine”

Summary: The Post criticizes Trump’s proposal demanding that Ukraine allocate a significant portion of its natural resource revenues to repay U.S. military aid. The author argues that such demands are excessively punitive toward an ally and overlook the mutual benefits derived from supporting Ukraine. “President Trump’s demand that Ukraine sign over a huge chunk of its economy as repayment for help fending off Russia is flat-out wrong. Period. The proposed contract, which reportedly hit Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s desk last week, demands half the country’s revenues from natural resources, ports and infrastructure indefinitely as payback for US military aid since the war began.

URL: https://nypost.com/2025/02/18/opinion/trump-is-asking-for-far-too-much-payback-from-war-torn-ukraine/

 

8. Quillette

• Title: “The Ultimate Betrayal
• “Summary: In this article, Francis Fukuyama critically examines President Trump’s recent policy shift regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Fukuyama argues that by initiating direct negotiations with Russia—excluding Ukraine and European allies—the United States has effectively aligned itself with authoritarian regimes, undermining the global fight for liberal democracy. He highlights that Trump’s acceptance of Russian territorial gains and the commitment to block Ukraine’s NATO membership, without securing any concessions from Russia, represents a significant moral and strategic failure. Fukuyama emphasizes the personal impact of this decision, noting his extensive work supporting Ukrainian democracy and the potential long-term consequences for global security and democratic values.
• URL: https://quillette.com/2025/02/21/the-ultimate-betrayal-trump-ukraine/

 

9. Vox

• Title: “Trump’s Peace Talks with Putin”
• Summary: Vox looks at the Trump administration’s recent policy shift. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to initiate peace talks to address the ongoing conflict, excluding Ukraine from the negotiations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that it is impractical for Ukraine to reclaim all lost territory since Russia’s 2014 invasion, and the U.S. will not support Ukraine’s NATO membership bid. Critics argue that this approach may embolden Russia and undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, potentially leading to a temporary halt in hostilities without addressing the root causes of the conflict.
• URL: https://www.vox.com/politics/399539/trump-ukraine-peace-talks-russia-putin-the-logoff

 

10. Wall Street Journal

Title: “Trump’s Attack on Zelensky Signals New World Order Taking Shape”

• Summary: The Journal discusses Trump’s significant changes, including his criticism of Ukrainian President Zelensky and negotiations with Russia, which “in four short weeks…[are] making the U.S. a less reliable ally and retreating from global commitments in ways that stand to fundamentally reshape America’s relationship with the world.”
• URL: https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-zelensky-foreign-policy-world-alliances-a3592bc4?mod=WTRN_pos1&cx_testId=3&cx_testVariant=cx_165&cx_artPos=0

 

The Savvy Street Sentinel welcomes your comments on the issues raised here.