You can answer that question for yourself but here is what others are saying.
Fiona Hill, who was an advisor to President Trump in his first term, has accused him on the Today Podcast of “lying” by saying Ukraine is losing the war. Not even the Russians are saying that. Hill told the podcast that Trump is telling everyone lies. It is Russia that is losing the war as their aim was to conquer Ukraine entirely in 2022.
Mick Robinson, the presenter, also asked Hill if Putin knows how to play Trump. Hill replied people can play Trump because they can play to his vanity. Over the weekend of the pope’s funeral, Trump conceded that he had been “tapped” by Putin in view of the Russians continuing to bomb civilians in Ukraine.
To even up the “lying” score between Trump and Putin, President of France Emmanuel Macron has joined in by stating that Putin needs to “stop lying” by saying he wants “peace” then continuing to bomb civilians. Macron says there is one aggressor: Putin, and one aggressed: Ukraine.
As if to prove Macron’s assertions of ‘lying Putin’ on early Thursday morning, 24 April, the Russians sent 70 missiles and 145 drones to Ukraine, most of them aimed at Kyiv, resulting in 12 killed and 90 injured, with some trapped under rubble.
The Russians probably thought they had the upper hand with their North Korean missiles. The one that hit Kyiv, according to Zelensky (on X), had 116 components sourced from other countries, mostly from the US.
Zelensky said the missile from North Korea was a part of the criminal alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.
If you wanted a better example of the ‘pot calling the kettle black’, I doubt you could find one. CNN already has Trump as saying over 50 times that he could end the Russian Ukraine war in 24 hours. Yet when Zelensky said he wasn’t prepared to give up Crimea, Trump accused him of “boasting” and of making “inflammatory” comments on Crimea.
Trump told Time that Russia should hang on to the Crimea as Ukraine had lost it a long time ago during the Obama administration. Was that such a long time ago? It seems like yesterday. In fact it was only 11 years ago, in 2014, hardly last century! The Russians were so buoyed up after taking Crimea that they then invaded Eastern Ukraine.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian parliamentarian, told CNN on the Brief that Trump’s comments on Crimea are “absurd”.
You wouldn’t want to be a high-ranking personage in the Russian military right now, as your days could be numbered. Parked car bombs seem to be the weapon of choice. This time it was a Volkswagen Golf, parked outside an apartment building. The latest victim was Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy head of the military’s chief of staff.
Russia’s other neighbours are getting a little nervous now after seeing the crucifixion of Ukraine by Putin. Latvia’s planned defensive line against Russia and Belarus is on course for completion by 2028: this Baltic defence line will protect Estonia and Lithuania as well.
Trump and Zelensky had a short meeting in Rome, where they were attending Pope Francis’s funeral. No doubt grave matters were discussed. This time Zelensky remembered to thank Trump and America for their help!
The last meeting with Trump was in the Oval Office, where he was eviscerated by both Trump and Vance for not being grateful, was refused lunch and told to leave.
Many are wondering what is Trump’s ‘dog in the fight’? Is it Ukraine’s rich rare earth minerals that can be used in high technology? No doubt Putin would have some skin in the game too. Who will win this game of chess?
