Summary

Trump and Zelenskyy’s confrontational Oval Office meeting advanced “mob boss foreign policy” serving Russian interests.

Trump and Vance bullied Zelenskyy when he refused their “extortionate” minerals deal or to thank them despite Trump’s stated intent to reduce support for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy effectively countered their claims by noting Russia’s 2014 invasion and correcting historical inaccuracies, which angered the Americans.

This represents the first openly “anti-US, anti-Western, anti-democracy foreign policy in American history.” Russians embraced it, and Putin ally and former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev celebrated the exchange.

  • electric_nan@lemmy.ml
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    2 years ago

    The idea that Zelensky should owe the US anything is darkly hilarious. The US has been using this war to further its own geopolitical aims, without regard for Ukrainian lives. “Pay us back for the privilege of being a sacrificial pawn of US foreign policy”. Gross.

    • asdfbla@lemmynsfw.com
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      2 years ago

      To add to that: Even from a purely military perspective, the intelligence gain regarding modern tactics far offsets what the US paid for it

      • Spzi@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        There is so much in this direction. For a fraction of the budget, you could obliterate both the Russian army and economy, without losing any soldiers. What an opportunity, what a deal. Unless you’re owned by Russia, of course.

      • Spzi@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        So is social media, and the openness of free societies to internal (the rich owning the media) and external (foreign adversaries) tampering. Spreading misinformation, eroding trust in institutions and truth itself, poisons like that.

        Many democracies are crumbling this way. We yet have to find an effective antidote.

        Regardless of the voting system, there still is a worryingly large portion of voters who were corrupted to serve other’s interests. And that is true to all (?) countries. That not just any two democracies fall first, but GB and US, kind of shows us that it could be anyone.

        So while it is easy to look down on the fallen, or feel ashamed to be that - we’re helpless in this together. Hate to end like that.

  • dmtalon@infosec.pub
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    2 years ago

    Most embarrassed I’ve been to call myself an american. And I’m a veteran.

    Absolutely disgusting.

      • dmtalon@infosec.pub
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        2 years ago

        Since 2015 ish I started unfollowing both left and right side friends because of political talk from people on my friends list on Facebook. I really have pruned it to be only people that post stuff they’re doing. Same for people that only forward stuff. (News or whatever).

        I broke down and posted about yesterday on my feed with a link to a YouTube video of the press conference. Expressing how utterly disgusted I was.

        It’s a minor thing but it should make it very clear how I feel and the line we crossed with that display.

          • dmtalon@infosec.pub
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            2 years ago

            No I was angry but wanted a clean online space that I was kinda stuck on due to remote family…

            Edit: I am more angry now so you’re not technically wrong <sigh>

            • bean@lemmy.world
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              2 years ago

              I have followed a lot. I’m passionate too. However, this. This was just too much. It’s upsetting and disgusting and embarrassing for us. I really wish Obama and Biden and Clinton and everyone would be more fucking vocal. They do it for silent respect? There is nothing respectful about anything Trump has done. We need real leaders.

    • blattrules@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      I was pretty embarrassed when he was elected the first time, then really embarrassed when he was elected the second time too, but yeah, this is a new low.

        • blattrules@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Sorry to hear, that’s terrible and understandable. The country is definitely in a bad place right now and hopefully the safeguards that haven’t already been dismantled will hold and he can’t do too much damage.

        • Theonetheycall1845@lemmy.worldM
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          2 years ago

          I kind of did too. But then I realized there’s still a chance to turn things around so I started getting involved with local activist chapters. Do what you can and try to get your family involved. It all helps.

    • DNS@discuss.online
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      2 years ago

      I’m a veteran and a minority as well. It’s great knowing more than 1 language because I can claim a different country that speaks my language as my own to avoid the negative association of being an American.

      I also get discounts speaking my native tongue compared to white folks who come blaring in disrespectfully.

  • roofTophopper@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    100% knew this shit would happen. Knew he was going to take this all as some massive win. His cronies probably all patted him on the back and gladly licked his nuts.

  • klant@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    The most embarrassing moment in American history. Regurgitating Russian propaganda to the ally currently under attack from Russia. It’s almost unbelievable that this actually occurred…

      • Fizz@lemmy.nz
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        2 years ago

        Its wild how much damage is being done in such a short time and how powerless everyone is to do anything.

        • in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          2 years ago

          That’s the real kicker, everyone is not powerless. On the contrary, as a matter of fact, everyone is powerful. America could change tomorrow if Americans wanted it bad enough.

          • Fizz@lemmy.nz
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            2 years ago

            People feel powerless because the country is split. They can’t change tomorrow became that would require onboarding 150m people and convincing them to standup to a tyrannical regime.

            So it doesn’t matter how bad people on the left want it they can’t change anything. There is the option of revolution but you only get one shot at that and the Feds will see it being organised from a mile away.

    • Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 years ago

      Most embarrassing, wtf, have you read american history past the first grade. Hell in the first chapter you’ll find ethnic cleansing of natives and the three fifths compromise. This isn’t even the first time we’ve done a shakedown like this. Half of Latin America got this treatment in the 19th century, albeit less crude and poorly executed.

      Even on the regurgitating authoritarian propaganda front, in the 70s we were running diplomatic cover for fucking Polpot and playing down the genocide because we wanted to get back at Vietnam and cozy up to China.

      • in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 years ago

        Those were all closed door dealings that boomers children could’ve only learned from hindsight. This was a public display of WTFery that rewrites the last century of geopolitical history, something like this hasn’t happened since… Oh god.

  • Queen HawlSera@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    This should have been over the second he mocked that disabled reporter, the fact that it didn’t says more about America as a country than the fact that it was allowed to get HERE.

    • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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      2 years ago

      Some drone strikes on some Al Qaeda guys I guess? But nothing of significant note. The rest has been a complete humiliation of the US.

      • Dnb@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 years ago

        The same drone strikes he said were illegal, and instead of stopping, removed reporting of so he could say he didn’t do it but Obama did… ugghhhh

  • Oascany@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    You know there’s something wrong when Putin and his cronies are the only ones applauding you.

    • Fair Fairy@thelemmy.club
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      2 years ago

      You know there’s something wrong when Putin and his cronies are the only ones applauding you.

      did you know there are BYD chinese cars sold all over europe.
      if they are US allies - how does that happen?

  • DTguess@lemmy.ca
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    2 years ago

    The U.S. citizens bought the ticket now it’s time to take the ride.

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    That was their goal. Humiliate Ukraine like he tried to humiliate Canada and Mexico. He’s a bully and conman and lying, cheating, and breaking deals is how he has gotten through life and it’s all he knows. He thinks that by humiliating and making other leaders feel small and helpless he can make himself look big and strong and get a better deal.

    He hasn’t figured out yet that dealing with sovereign countries with millions of citizens whose politicians need to answer to them, not Trump, is different that cheating a small paint store or a small architecture firm.

    He’s bankrupted everything he’s tried to, the-art-of-the-deal and he’s going to bankrupt America.

    If the world works together it can bring the United States to heel.

  • sasquatch7704@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    He did something much worst then humiliating x or y. Everyone already knew he is a clown, but he pretty much blown any credibility USA still had as a partner for anything, see also tariffs and threatening 2 allies (Canada and Greenland)

    This is Don Corleone beheivior, I give you 100 billions in old military equipment and you give me 500 back, really?

    Also, USA offered security guarantees on '90s when Ukraine gave back the nukes to Russia. Officials didn’t forget that, maybe Trump did.

    • Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee
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      2 years ago

      Trump would say that the deal was done under incompetent old management and it is not valid under him. As if the government is now his and not the old.

      • sasquatch7704@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Ok, then his validation as president was done by the same incompetent old management and it’s not valid.

        He can say what he wants. International treaties are international treaties. If you break them you loose your credibility, if you still have any after threating to invade your allies.

  • iiinnnn@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    He doesn’t think it, Krasnov simply knows he has to keep repeating that talking point to get people that haven’t seen the “discussion” to side with him. Why this talking point instead of another? Using the same criticism against the other side turns it into a matter of whose word those people value more to begin with. It’s him relying on his popularity. Those that don’t value Krasnov more (that also haven’t seen it) could potentially be swayed to at least think both sides were in the wrong.

  • somewa@suppo.fi
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    2 years ago

    Reality is that every other country will look down on USA for years. USA is not going to be considered trustworthy trading partner nor trustworthy ally.

    • dhork@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      And the sad part is that even if we can get our act together and pull put of this, our former allies would be justified in not getting too close, because we’ve demonstrated that we could just allow the morons back in at the next election to burn it all down again.

      • fuck_u_spez_in_particular@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Yeah I’m actually slightly annoyed that while the first presidency we haven’t cooled that much and prepared ourselves to be less dependent on the US.

        But I think now it’s pretty clear, "Trump"s USA is not something we (as europeans) can rely on anymore. Repeating the error twice should be more than enough to come to that conclusion, it was blatantly obvious that something like this could happen (seemingly not for a lot of americans, it’s almost comical to see something like “LeopardsAteMyFace”). Though I’m still a little bit surprised at what speed Trumps administration is able to disassemble the US…

        • dhork@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Though I’m still a little bit surprised at what speed Trumps administration is able to disassemble the US…

          I’m not. I keep reminding people that “dismantling the administrative state” has been a priority for our Conservatives for quite a while now. What makes this different, though, is that they are choosing to do it quickly and illegally even though they have the votes to do it the regular way. That is what makes this different. They are sending the message, on purpose, that laws dont matter anymore, across the whole thing. Prior administrations might have skirted legal boundaries from time to time, but not on all fronts like this one has.

          So it’s not that Europe can’t rely on Trump’s USA. It’s that Europe can’t rely on the American government respecting its own laws. And even if they throw this lot out in 4 years, it can all come back if we don’t get out shit together as a country. That will be impossible to do while Trump is still around. I fear. Even if he can’t manage to get past the 2-term limit every Republican will be subservient to him until God exercises His Ultimate Recall Vote.

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      The only way the US recovers from that is with a new constitution with actual dictatorship preventive measures in place.

    • AFK BRB Chocolate@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      It’s hard for me to ignore the fact that what you said is 100% something Putin wants. Trump could not be doing a better job of tearing apart the United States and its standing in the world.

    • Tyrangle@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Really curious what this means for Taiwan. Their sovereignty depends on US support, but with Trump at the helm, we’re just as likely to cut a deal with Xi and stay home when the fighting starts.

      • EmpireInDecay@lemmy.ml
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        2 years ago

        It means nothing for Taiwan, the US has supported the One China policy regarding Taiwan for decades and still do.

            • Womble@lemmy.world
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              2 years ago

              No, they dont

              When the United States moved to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and de-recognize the Republic of China (ROC) in 1979, the United States stated that the government of the People’s Republic of China was “the sole legal Government of China.” Sole, meaning the PRC was and is the only China, with no consideration of the ROC as a separate sovereign entity.

              The United States did not, however, give in to Chinese demands that it recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan (which is the name preferred by the United States since it opted to de-recognize the ROC). Instead, Washington acknowledged the Chinese position that Taiwan was part of China. For geopolitical reasons, both the United States and the PRC were willing to go forward with diplomatic recognition despite their differences on this matter. When China attempted to change the Chinese text from the original acknowledge to recognize, Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher told a Senate hearing questioner, “[W]e regard the English text as being the binding text. We regard the word ‘acknowledge’ as being the word that is determinative for the U.S.” In the August 17, 1982, U.S.-China Communique, the United States went one step further, stating that it had no intention of pursuing a policy of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

              To this day, the U.S. “one China” position stands: the United States recognizes the PRC as the sole legal government of China but only acknowledges the Chinese position that Taiwan is part of China. Thus, the United States maintains formal relations with the PRC and has unofficial relations with Taiwan. The “one China” policy has subsequently been reaffirmed by every new incoming U.S. administration. The existence of this understanding has enabled the preservation of stability in the Taiwan Strait, allowing both Taiwan and mainland China to pursue their extraordinary political and socioeconomic transitions in relative peace.

              As is confirmed in your first link, the USA acknowledges that the Chinese position is that Taiwan is a part of China, and recognise that the PRC is the government of China, they deliberately do not say if they consider Taiwan a part of China or not.

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    What matters to trump is what he makes himself feel about the event, not what actually happened. The Führer feels he was strong, therefore America strong, because he’s all that matters in the picture. Absolutely no other factors need intrude.