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https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14sbrWW9Skz/
To understand who won (and who lost) the shouting match in the Oval Office yesterday you have to ask yourself: who keeps pushing for the mineral deal to be signed?
Not Zelensky but Trump.
The US president is chasing quick, symbolic victories to show Americans that he can, indeed, get something done fast.
🔴 He’s looking for two things: ceasefire in Ukraine (proof that he can achieve peace, however fragile it is) and a deal that would show that Americans will be paid back (no matter how far in the future).
The easiest to achieve both is to beat up the weakest party of the conflict – Ukraine.
He’s so dismissive of the “comedian” Zelensky that he thought the guy would quickly fold after being abused on TV and sign whatever he’s told to sign.
🔴 The irony is that it’s the Ukrainian president that has all the cards now after Trump threw his own out the window in the past two weeks.
After repeatedly saying that the war has to end and that the US will not be funding it anymore the US president has nothing to offer that could convince Zelensky to sign the minerals agreement.
Ukraine is under no legal or even moral obligation to pay USA back for the aid provided over the past 3 years. The obligation was on the USA to help Ukraine in case it was invaded, as per the 1994 Budapest memorandum.
If Americans now want Kyiv to pay then they have to give something in return.
Comedians tend to be very observant and intelligent people – a TV show host like Trump should know that. And Zelensky is no different. Why would he sign a meaningless paper granting Trump a political victory he so badly seeks when Trump has nothing to reciprocate with but abuse?
Neither he nor Ukraine have anything to gain from it, since it contains no military or even economic commitments from the USA.
Leverage is derived from what you can offer the other party. Trump was probably thinking that the pressure of an official visit to the White House would be enough for his opponent to give in, instead of leaving without signing.
In the end, however, the “comedian” took public abuse from him and his lapdog Vance, and then left them high and dry without the paper they so desperately seek as evidence they can get things done.
Well, it turns out that they can’t.
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weehingthong 