Thought of the day! We all know that President Trump, God bless him, loves a deal. He has reduced politics to deal making. Everything is transactional. Forget the ethics and morality. Just make a fast buck. So much better from Trump’s perspective.
He keeps disseminating mistruths about the amount of aid that the US have provided Ukraine. His numbers are highly inflated just like his belly.
Anyway he really wants a minerals deal with Ukraine which is said to be worth around $500 billion to the US at the end of the day after years of mining.
Zelensky actually proposed the deal in the first place so he wants it too but on proper terms. The current terms are too onerous for Zelensky. He reasonably wants more such as security guarantees going forward to prevent Putin restarting after peace has been achieved.
If European leaders jumped on the concept of a minerals deal and started to discuss their own with Zelensky, Trump would see HIS deal – the one he covets so much – start to disappear and become unattainable.
I’d argue that this would make Trump less demanding. The terms and conditions accompanying the minerals deal would become more favourable to Ukraine in order that the US gets first option on this precious rare earth metals.
It would become a sort of bidding war between Europe and the US for the right to mine rare earth metals from Ukraine. That’s real commerce which Trump should appreciate.
He’d probably admire Zelensky if he entered into discussions with Europe on such a deal.
Zelensky has to get back to the table with Trump. If Europe outbid the US on the minerals deal, Trump would ask Zelensky back asap! Let’s see it happen.
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P.S. This is a moment for Europe to step into the shoes of the USA and lead the way for world peace. And to keep NATO intact. There are a lot of Americans who are as aghast as most Europeans of Trump and Vance’s bullying of Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Trump and Vance have weakened the prospect of world peace. And Vance is lying when he berated Zelensky for not thanking the US for aid both financial and in armaments to fight the war. Zelensky has often profusely thanked the US for this aid on television from his office in Kyiv. Vance behaved shamefully in that meeting as did Trump. A couple of bullies I am afraid to say and millions would agree with me including Americans.
