Summary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia must withdraw to its pre-invasion positions from February 24, 2022.
In an interview with Newsmax, he hoped that Donald Trump, with European backing, could end the war and influence Putin.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine will not accept any negotiated settlement that excludes its involvement.
He also suggested that Trump needs a diplomatic success to differentiate his approach from Biden’s. However, there is no indication that Russia is willing to retreat.
Europe may have better optics, but quality without leadership is like a sword without a hand to wield it. Leopards and Gepards are impressive hardware, sure, but they don’t command strategy. The US might be sending “1980s stuff,” but it’s the backbone of the logistics, coordination, and intelligence that make Europe’s shiny toys effective.
And let’s not kid ourselves—Europe’s fragmented approach is a feature, not a bug. You can’t compare unity of purpose when one side still debates whether to turn the gas back on. Numbers and tech are meaningless without resolve. Europe competes on quality? Only if they stop outsourcing their backbone to Washington.
I’m pretty sure Poland is the backbone of logistics this time. We are not bombing Afghanistan from north Carolina, we are moving artillery shells a few hundred kilometers, maybe a thousand. We don’t need to deploy a burger King in the desert, when that need arises we do know who to call.
Ukraine is coordinating fine it seems, and intelligence is a joint NATO effort where the USA plays an important role but is by no means the only one.
And are you really trying to teach Europe about resolve, all while Trump and Vance and kneeling before Putin (again)?
Poland is the backbone? Cute. Moving shells a few hundred kilometers isn’t a logistical masterpiece; it’s a bare minimum. Let’s not confuse proximity with strategy. The US doesn’t need to “deploy a burger king” because it built the global infrastructure Europe still leans on.
Ukraine coordinating intel? Sure, but NATO’s brain remains American. Europe’s fragmented approach isn’t just inefficient—it’s a liability. Coordination without leadership is chaos waiting to happen.
And resolve? Spare me. Europe debates gas bills while outsourcing its defense to Washington. Teaching Europe about resolve isn’t hypocrisy—it’s irony. The continent that birthed empires now struggles to fund its own security while pointing fingers at others.
Clearly, Putin should just be allowed to take whatever he wants. Thanks for clearing that up for us.
Oh, FlyingSquid, your intellectual gymnastics are as impressive as a toddler tripping over their own feet. Reducing my critique of Europe’s strategic ineptitude to “let Putin take whatever he wants” is the kind of straw man argument that would make a scarecrow blush.
If you’re going to engage in geopolitical discourse, at least muster the effort to comprehend the argument. Your moral posturing is as shallow as a puddle after a drizzle—loud, messy, and ultimately irrelevant. Stick to bumper sticker slogans; they suit your depth better.
Stopped reading at the word “toddler.” Not interested in Reddit-style insult wars.
That’s my point, as good as usa is at logistics, you are applying the argument wholesale without considering the needs of this conflict. This is happening at Europe’s doorstep, this time the logistics are easy, especially if you compare it to invading the middle east from north America.
Ukraine coordinating Intel? Sure? Well, there goes your original argument, leave to goalpost where it was.
Tell me more about American resolve, but maybe wait until Vance comes back home from selling Ukraine to Russia while trump threatens to invade Canada. Meanwhile Europe was able to replace 60% of its energy sourcing in two years and remain united. Usa left and joined the Paris accord 3 times in a decade and now is threatening to leave NATO. America lost its resolve a while ago.
Europe’s doorstep? What a convenient excuse for mediocrity. If proximity magically solved conflicts, Europe wouldn’t need American logistics to move a few crates of ammo. Comparing this to the Middle East? Laughable. The U.S. doesn’t fumble because it’s far away; it succeeds because it plans ahead—something Europe clearly struggles with.
Intel coordination? Sure, Europe can shuffle papers while America does the thinking. Calling out “goalpost moving” is rich when your entire argument hinges on redefining failure as effort. NATO’s brain is American because Europe’s head is buried in bureaucracy.
And “resolve”? Spare me the Paris Accords sob story. Signing treaties you don’t enforce isn’t resolve; it’s theater. Europe outsourced its energy and security, then cries betrayal when reality bites. Pathetic.
I didn’t choose where Putin decided to invade. Next time I’ll ask him to invade Mongolia so muricans can flex those cargo planes. Europe doesn’t need America to invade Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan, you do that on your own. Tell me more about how USA succeeded in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan!
Shuffling papers is what intelligence is. So thanks for confirming!
Keep on selling out your allies and moving goalposts.
Europe’s mediocrity isn’t Putin’s fault, and pretending it is just proves my point. Logistics aren’t about flexing; they’re about capability, something Europe conveniently lacks when it matters. If you want to compare Vietnam or Iraq, at least acknowledge the difference: America acts, Europe dithers.
Intelligence? Shuffling papers isn’t intelligence; it’s bureaucracy masquerading as strategy. Your “moving goalposts” jab is ironic when Europe’s entire playbook is redefining failure as resilience.
Keep pretending treaties are resolve and outsourcing security is independence. The reality? Europe is a spectator in its own theater of irrelevance.
Stay mad while America keeps carrying your dead weight.
Europe is doing just fine, and it matters now, so are you arguing against your point? America “acts” all right, like a mad dog, to lose wars left and right since ww2 (last one where Europe helped you). No wonder you got so mad that you renamed French fries, you can’t win a war without France… even the independence one.
That goalpost moving is an impressive logistics show, well done! Just don’t leave it in the middle east out of habit!
Keeping treaties is what gives countries power for the next treaty. And if someone can outsource security, “that makes them smart”, in the words of dear leader. Are you disappointed you got tricked? Are you sad that America spends 8x the money of Russia on military and Putin still has more power?