Ukraine insists 'we will never, ever give up' after Trump makes wild claims about Zelensky
Ukrainian insider appeals against American 'betrayal,' to see the truth about Russia's bloody invasion whilst the country stands behind President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Hello and welcome to Hostile World with Chris Hughes, a weekly newsletter about the world of defence and geopolitics. You can subscribe here and follow me on Twitter @defencechris. Thank you!
The voice of a senior Ukrainian official audibly faltered this week as he described to me the reaction of his country to President Trump’s “betrayal” by appearing to side with Russia.
I had called him to ask how he and his colleagues are feeling about the latest developments with America appearing to ditch Ukraine and allow Russia back into the international fold.
Trump had only recently claimed Ukraine must shoulder some blame for the murderous invasion they are suffering from, horribly saying they had failed to negotiate peace.
In his crazy view of the world, he claimed Ukraine had been “sitting at the table for three years,” forgetting that they had been fighting for their lives, dying, being kidnapped, tortured and raped.
He has even poured scorn on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s popularity and called for elections to replace his government.
The official told me: “Look, this is about justice and common values. We are fighting not just for Ukraine but for you as well. We love the support from our allies, especially from the UK.
“As well as common values and justice, this fight is about truth.
“We wish President Trump would not look just at the Russian narrative, for instance the figures for our President’s popularity.
“He said something like it was 4% but I can tell you that only this morning it is 57% in Ukraine, and our side was not listened to.
“We wish our side was being listened to by the United States. But we will see - we will never give up. We stand with our President.”
It was a calm, analytical but passionate appeal for reason and respect for the truth, from a man who understands that he and his country are fighting for their lives.
But there were no rants, no screaming insults even in the face of such craven and two-faced mendacity from President Trump - just a dignified lesson in right and wrong.
In the end, that is what this fight comes down to - what is happening to Ukraine is indecent and it is deeply disturbing that anyone would support Trump’s actions.
I know something of how this man I spoke to suffers from the invasion and cannot identify him, but I also know that Ukrainians like him are everywhere on the frontline and across the country doing their bit to fight for the dwindling hope that the daily suffering of this vile full-scale invasion that Russia has imposed on them will end.
So often Trump’s lies and bombastic claims come out of his mouth one after the other with such rapidity that it is hard to keep up and counter them - but let’s give it a try.
As I have already said, the claim about Zelensky’s so-called dwindling popularity is demonstrably untrue. But how about the other claims?
Trump claimed that Zelensky "talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion (£278bn), to go into a war that couldn't be won."
As it stands at the moment, due to various delays in aid into Ukraine and other factors, Kyiv’s troops have suffered setbacks - which means that, even glacially, Russian forces are making gains.
But there have been many times when Ukraine has looked like it was tipping the balance - retaking many towns and even making a dramatic incursion into Kursk, thus becoming the invaders themselves and turning the tables on the Kremlin.
An invasion that was supposed to take a few days has taken three years, and yet Russian forces have not reached Kyiv - nowhere near.
Those sabotage and kill squads who entered the capital are languishing in jail or are dead.
Trump also says the US has spent $200bn (£159bn) more than Europe and that Europe will get its money back, while the US will not.
According to ITN, the first Ukraine Oversight Organisation (which is part of the US government) said: "Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Congress has appropriated or otherwise made available nearly $183 billion (£145bn) for Operation Atlantic Resolve and the broader Ukraine response."
Not all of this has gone to Ukraine.
The Council for Foreign Relations says a large chunk of the money is spent in the US replenishing stocks of weapons that had been shipped to Ukraine.
Now, it would be fair to say UK military insiders have told me that the stocks of ammunition reaching Ukraine from the US is far more reliable than that from some eastern European suppliers.
It is also fair to say, as I have revealed previously, that some stocks of missiles from eastern European countries have been “interfered with.”
That is to say Russian GRU saboteurs are suspected of spiking missiles heading to Ukraine -, although it is hoped that this has now been stamped out
ITN also added: “Other countries that have sent arms to Ukraine have received money from the US to replenish their stocks.
“Trump supporters may argue the cost of replenishing stock should be counted as part of the whole amount contributed to Ukraine, but his critics say a huge amount of money is being sent to US businesses that in turn generate tax revenue for the US.
“The American Enterprise Institute found that 70 cities had benefited from Ukraine aid money due to contracts given to American businesses.
“The Germany-based Keil Institute estimates it is likely around $114bn of the money has been directly sent to Ukraine, which is still an enormous sum.
“Where Trump got the $350bn figure from is unclear, it is always possible he has access to information he has not shared with the public.”
This is an example of very fair reporting where ITN are giving him the benefit of the doubt - however, based on past performances I am not sure he warrants that.
They continue: “On the figure of the US spending $200bn more than Europe – it is also unclear.
“The EU said in January it had made available $145bn in financial and military aid to Ukraine.
“But this figure does not account for the UK which has contributed $14.8bn, or money sent by Norway and Switzerland.
“The Keil Institute estimates that Europe's contribution is $132.3bn.
“Trump also said Europe would get the money back, but in a report in January the EU said $50bn of loans have been provided on top of the $145bn of aid, which it does not expect to get back.
“Trump alluded to why he thought Europe would be getting the money back in his post, saying: this war is far more important to Europe than it is to us - we have a big beautiful ocean as separation.
“After complaining about the cost of the Ukraine war Trump said Zelenskyy had admitted half the money is missing.
“Republicans have long complained that it was hard to keep track of where US money was exactly being spent in Ukraine, a country which has a long history of corruption.
“The specific claim that Zelensky himself admitted half of the money the US has given to Ukraine has gone missing appears to be a reference to something the Ukrainian president said in early February.
“In an interview with the Associated Press, he said: “We hear from the USA that America gave Ukraine $177bn" but later said "as a president of a warring country, I tell you, we received just over $75bn.”
“He notes "we got $70bn worth of weapons" and then goes on to say additional support was involved with this to cover the cost of training and transport.
“He ends with saying: "But when they say that Ukraine during the war received $200bn to support the army etc. that is not true, I do not know where all the money is."
It is very clear here that Zelensky was emphatically not saying that ‘the money has gone missing’, as Trump claims.
Instead, he appears to be suggesting that the US claims may not be entirely true - he is running a war for heaven’s sake.
As to the question of Zelensky being a dictator due to not having elections - again, he’s at war and it is perfectly normal for a wartime leader to continue fighting that war without going to the polls.
Trump’s utterances are clearly aimed at the unintelligent, non-critical thinkers who will accept what he says without question.
It’s a formula that definitely works, but ultimately this will be his undoing once his critics have regrouped and methodically stopped them each time they happen.
In the meantime, as the Mirror front page says clearly today, the message from UK lawmakers is clear: to Ukraine with love - we will continue supporting you.
Thank you
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Let me know your thoughts in the comments and see you next week,
Chris
President Volodymyr Zelensky was the only sane person in the office with trump and his poodle. If trump carries on blaming everyone except Russia for the war, Europe, and the UK, should completely take over and supply and shield the Ukraine from the real dictator. Any weapons required for this should not be supplied by the usa, neither should they get an ounce of the dirt that trump is after. The Ukraine and Europe should between them dig up the dirt, separate it, and the sell it to the usa, or any other Country that requires it. The money should then be used to protect the Ukraine and help rebuild her. STUFF tRUMP.