A Beacon Light Extinguished
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/world/europe/ukraine-minerals-deal.html
("U.S. and Ukraine Agree to Minerals Deal, Officials Say")
Extortion redux.
The first impeachment of Donald Trump involved his threat to withhold weapons from Ukraine unless they did as he requested (finding dirt on his political opponent). While the circumstances have now changed, the strong arm tactics remain unaltered.
President Zelensky is facing the imminent collapse of his country unless he now "plays ball." The situation much more dire than in 2019, the full invasion by Russia three years in and Ukraine's survival hanging by a thread. The cost to his country for failing to bend the knee far greater now than at the time of the earlier "perfect call."
In that first iteration, the Ukrainian leader was able to deflect and deny Mr. Trump's request. This time, without any options, he is coming to the US with hat, pen and his country's mineral deposits in hand.
Our long time commitment to give aid, without compromise, to allies in need and distress now but empty promise. The shining city upon the hill, whose beacon light was as a guide to freedom loving people everywhere, now extinguished. Our policy not led by the heart or moral compass but by our pocketbook and an insatiable desire to grab whatever we can, whenever we can. To take advantage of our position at all turns. Against friend as well as foe.
Donald Trump, once an extorter, always an extorter. And the United States, once justly proud of how it used its strength as a shield against aggressors, now instead using it as a sword against our own.