Raymond J. de Souza: Is Trump’s desertion of Ukraine betrayal, stupidity or avarice?

Albertans of sufficient age recall the bumper stickers we saw at the height of the National Energy Program in the early 1980s: “Let the eastern bastards freeze in the dark.”

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That was what it meant “to send a message” then, not staging a foolish referendum. The bumper sticker slogan was born of frustration and anger, but it was never an actual policy. Albertans were disgruntled but not disgusting; they did not seek to inflict suffering on others, easterners or otherwise.

The time for disgusting policy has come, though, and in a most distressing place. From the most powerful country on Earth, from the ostensible leader of the free world: Let the Ukrainian patriots freeze in the dark.

Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.

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That, in essence, is what the garrulous President Donald Trump means when he chastises the Ukrainians for bombing Russian oil refineries — including expressing a desire that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy be replaced — while blithely ignoring that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to bomb the Ukrainian electrical grid, to say nothing of the direct killing of civilians unrelated to military targets.

That Trump has been on Putin’s side has been evident for some time, ever since he campaigned on the promise to end Russia’s war on Ukraine “in one day.” There are only two ways to end the war in one day — either Putin puts down his weapons and goes home, or Zelenskyy surrenders. Trump has been clear that he prefers the latter.

Terry Glavin has gone even further in these pages, arguing that Trump may not be on the side of NATO, should Russian escalate its occasional attacks on NATO’s eastern flank.

Since his return to office, Trump has laboured mightily to obtain a surrender from Ukraine for Putin, his kindred spirit, ally and potential grifting partner. He has cut off direct aid, military and otherwise, to Ukraine. He raged at Zelenskyy in the Oval Office; he supplicated Putin in Alaska. With Ukraine still fighting, he is growing desperate. By purchasing diesel fuel from Russia — contrary to American law — and exempting Russia from sanctions, he is effectively funding war crimes against the Ukrainian people.

Why?

Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland suggested an answer this week when addressing the Warsaw Security Forum. Actually, three possible answers.

“Anyone who, through betrayal, stupidity or for money, seeks to weaken Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression is acting directly against their own people, their country’s security and its sovereignty,” Tusk said on Monday.

Tusk was directly addressing the astonishing phenomenon of pro-Russia parties in Poland — remarkably, there are not one, but two of them — but the “anyone” of whom he speaks would certainly include the Trump administration, the Trump special envoys, the Trump family and the Trump commercial interests. All which are the same entity.

Regarding the latest disgusting Trump turn against Kyiv, is it betrayal, stupidity or money?

Betrayal suggests that once Trump was a loyal friend. But ever since he was impeached (and later acquitted) for attempting to enlist Zelenskyy in a 2019 scheme to dig up dirt on the Biden family, Trump has regarded Ukraine as needing to be punished for causing him embarrassment. Trump may not be, strictly speaking, capable of betrayal, which requires the existence of prior morally upright relationship.

Stupidity? Consider that the very missiles that Putin deploys against apartment buildings, electricity plants and civic infrastructure are the result of a longtime collaboration with Iran. For many years, technology and production has been exchanged between Moscow and Teheran. It is widely reported that Russian intelligence has assisted Iran in its current war with the United States. Trump is thereby directly enhancing Putin’s position, at the very time that Putin is indirectly supporting attacks on American bases, American soldiers and their Gulf allies.

That Trump is on Russia’s side regarding Putin’s aggression against Ukraine is scandalous. He is on the wrong side of that war. It is worse than scandalous not to take your own side in your own war. It is stupid.

MAGA is marginally self-aware that stupidity is part of its ethos. Trump himself told a campaign rally recently, “I could say the stupidest things and you’d clap.” They clapped.

Money? Tusk had in mind Russia’s funding of sympathetic voices in Poland, just as it funnels money to some of the more prominent MAGA voices that undermine support for Ukraine. But it could also apply to Trump’s foreign policy, which from Qatar to Caracas is designed to fill the coffers of Trump’s family and friends. When Trump’s special envoys visit Moscow, they discuss the family business openly, without shame.

Betrayal, stupidity or money? It is no comfort that it is only two out of three.

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