By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Despite initially considering the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine, President Trump backtracked on the idea during a White House meeting with President Zelensky, citing concerns about depleting U.S. supplies and the potential for escalation. Zelensky attempted to negotiate for Tomahawk missiles in exchange for assisting the U.S. in drone production, aiming to counter Russian strikes. Trump’s change of heart followed a call with President Putin, during which Trump alluded to the possibility of arming Ukraine with the missiles. Public support for arming Ukraine is increasing, particularly among Republicans, according to recent polls.
Read the original article here
Face to Face With Zelensky, Trump Waffles on Missile Sale
Here’s the situation: we all knew this was coming. It was practically written in the stars, or maybe more accurately, in the backroom deals between Trump and Putin. After all, what else could one expect after a phone call with Putin? The details surrounding that conversation are, shall we say, a little… colorful. Allegedly, Putin dangled the prospect of a “Putin-Trump tunnel,” a monumental engineering project that would link Russia and America, ushering in an era of unprecedented global commerce. This tunnel, according to the whispers, would have outlasted the pyramids, become the most important trade route in the world, and, of course, bear Trump’s name. I kid you not.
Now, let’s be real. Putin knows precisely how to play Trump. The man’s ego is a well-documented weakness, a glaring vulnerability. It’s almost unbelievable that the president of the United States, the leader of a global superpower, seems to be taking orders from an authoritarian state that is, frankly, looking a bit depleted. It’s hard not to use harsh words; the whole thing is absurd. The President of the US, a man in a geriatric body, easily swayed by the last person he spoke to, especially if that person offers copious amounts of flattery. It’s a sad state of affairs when a true hero like Zelenskyy has to face that kind of reality. And the word “waffles” seems to mean that he “folds.” Shocking, I tell you, just shocking.
This is a recurring theme with Trump. He folds when Putin’s in the room. He doesn’t want to jeopardize their “good friendship”. It’s hard to believe he thinks Putin actually cares about him beyond using him. He’s letting Putin do whatever he wants, and the world is watching, knowing that Ukraine is the loser here. Trump is frightened by Putin’s empty threats and Putin is the only person trump cares about. The world knows that Trump is a pawn in Putin’s game.
Here’s what happened: Zelenskyy, a true leader, went there, expecting it to be a PR disaster. To have Trump embarrass himself, and to show the world that he’s Putin’s puppet. It’s not about principles for Trump; it’s about the money, and about anything that will get him to do what Putin wants. The US could make tons selling tomahawks to Europe to be used by Ukraine, but he won’t do it.
The whole Tomahawk discussion was just a decoy. It was intended to distract from what he truly intends to do which is, nothing. It’s all about keeping his promise to Putin. The correct term for this behavior is “TACO”. It is the ultimate failure, and Trump is failing the world.
And now, here’s what Trump actually said, the quote revealing everything: “I did actually say: ‘Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?’ I did say that to him. I said it just that way,” Trump said, recounting the conversation. “He didn’t like the idea. You have to be a little bit lighthearted sometimes.”
It’s clear. Trump will never help Ukraine because Ukraine was involved in the impeachment process. Trump answers to Putin. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.