Donald Trump: I’d have let Putin annex part of Ukraine to end the war

[Right_in_Virginia]

But we were told this would have never happened under Trump. Yet he admitted that was unintentional, that he did nothing special to ensure that peace.

In other words, another Trump Cult Lie exposed by the man himself.

Interesting @jmyrlefuller. What lie is that?

[Hoodat]

NONE of this was our business @GtHawk  We have escalated a border conflict in Eastern Ukraine into a growing global conflict

It's not a border conflict.  Russia wants all of Ukraine.  That was apparent to anyone when Russia launched its attack at Kyiv itself at the start of the war.  No border conflict either when Russia decided to help itself to Crimea.  Yet here you are again pushing the same tired old bullshit lie about this being a border war.

And let's not forget who escalated this either.  It has been Russia, Russia, Russia who has done the escalating.  Not satisfied with the progress his nazi allies in Donetsk and Luhansk had made against the Ukraine government, and with his oligarch buddies growing impatient in their lust for Ukraine oil and gas, it is Putin who decided to escalate with a full scale invasion of Ukraine.  But then you knew this already.  Yet here you are again pushing the same tired old lies.

and are facilitating the wanton slaughter of the Ukrainian people

It is the Russians and only the Russians who are committing wanton slaughter of the Ukrainian people.  Just days ago, the world witnessed Russian troops executing a captured POW.  But you knew that already.  Yet here you are again pushing some lie about this being everyone else's fault except Russia since they are merely "liberators" and "protectors".  Right?

Your "promise" be damned.  We owe nothing to a non-Nato sinkhole of corruption masquerading as a country.  Nothing.

Your utter contempt for the Ukrainian people is duly noted.  Not any different from Putin's contempt of them.  But then everyone else here knew that about you already.

This is Europe's problem and should have remained its to solve.

The "problem" here is that Russia is being a bully and has decided it wants parts of Europe that don't belong to it.  And it has decided to take those parts by force, committing numerous war crimes in the process.  That makes it everyone's problem.

If formally returning Crimea to Russia is the answer, so be it.

You mean formally returning Crimea to Ukraine, right?  While we're at it, we can formally return Königsberg to Germany and Karelia to Finland.

Hopefully, we will one day grasp that we are separate from Europe and it's time to stop feeding their insatiable appetite for war as the answer to every disagreement.

Again, Russia is the aggressor.  They are the ones who instigated this war.  They alone are responsible.  And they can call this off any time they choose.

[Kamaji]

That it's not just a border dispute is proven by the fact that Russia just got caught trying to foment instability and a coup in Moldova.

[Sighlass]

What is laughable is that I am sure that if it was Trump that was pushing the current Ukraine situation instead of Brandon your position would no doubt be 180 degrees different. You run off at a tangent from my post instead of with my position that it is not our Presidents purview to give away a portion of another nation which is what Trump is saying he would do. But anything Trumpety Trump says or does is golden with you. before you and your cohort attack me as never Trump or a democrat mole...I don't like all the money we have sent to Ukraine, especially without audit and accounting but there we are so we need to find a way to exit that is smart not just drop it and look even weaker to Russia and China. I have voted for Trump twice and if he is the nominee will probably vote for him again, but I am sick to death of his stupid and childish remarks and attacks. I have thought and said for years Trump needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut and let the other side make the stupid comments instead of bailing them out with even stupider. Trump is at his best when he points out the other sides wrong policies acts and attacks them...that is why I voted for him.

I repeat his saying that he would have just let Russia annex a part of a sovereign nation, historically different than today(aren't we all) is not a wit different than Brandon saying a minor incursion by Russia into Ukraine would be just fine. Both are signals of weakness to our enemies.

This is basically how I see it (your last paragraph, highlight is mine). I don't claim to be any expert on European conflicts, and have kept quiet on the subject for the most part. But this blathering by Trump rubs me wrong, because it makes him more predictable in the future (and does as you say, makes Trump look weak and foolish).

[Maj. Bill Martin]

It's not a border conflict.  Russia wants all of Ukraine.  That was apparent to anyone when Russia launched its attack at Kyiv itself at the start of the war.  No border conflict either when Russia decided to help itself to Crimea.  Yet here you are again pushing the same tired old bullshit lie about this being a border war.

And let's not forget who escalated this either.  It has been Russia, Russia, Russia who has done the escalating.  Not satisfied with the progress his nazi allies in Donetsk and Luhansk had made against the Ukraine government, and with his oligarch buddies growing impatient in their lust for Ukraine oil and gas, it is Putin who decided to escalate with a full scale invasion of Ukraine.  But then you knew this already.  Yet here you are again pushing the same tired old lies.


It is the Russians and only the Russians who are committing wanton slaughter of the Ukrainian people.  Just days ago, the world witnessed Russian troops executing a captured POW.  But you knew that already.  Yet here you are again pushing some lie about this being everyone else's fault except Russia since they are merely "liberators" and "protectors".  Right?


Your utter contempt for the Ukrainian people is duly noted.  Not any different from Putin's contempt of them.  But then everyone else here knew that about you already.


The "problem" here is that Russia is being a bully and has decided it wants parts of Europe that don't belong to it.  And it has decided to take those parts by force, committing numerous war crimes in the process.  That makes it everyone's problem.


You mean formally returning Crimea to Ukraine, right?  While we're at it, we can formally return Königsberg to Germany and Karelia to Finland.


Again, Russia is the aggressor.  They are the ones who instigated this war.  They alone are responsible.  And they can call this off any time they choose.

I think it should be remembered that Ukraine, without any legal obligation to do so, sent troops to Afghanistan for 14 years, fighting alongside our own guys as part of the International Security Assistance force.  They've never been anything less than a friend to us.  In contrast, Russia has been egging on Iran for decades.  Russia deliberately blocked efforts by the U.S. and our allies to impose a truly effective inspection/sanction regime on Iran.  And they consistently armed Iran despite opposition from most of the rest of the world.

https://www.rferl.org/a/1073256.htm

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/russias-cooperation-iran-deal-no-favor-washington

And after Trump got elected, they continued opposing strong sanctions and inspections.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/kremlin-slams-us-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-as-pompeo-arrives-in-russia/

Why?  Because they love any chance they get to stick a finger in the eye of the U.S., and create problems for us elsewhere in the world.  And their current leadership has zero desire to change that policy.

We'll never have to worry about threats from Ukraine, or Ukraine siding with China against us.  Russia is a different story.  So as long as the Ukrainians are willing to fight an bleed for their own country, helping them is not only "the right thing to do", but in our long-term national interest.

[Kamaji]

I think it should be remembered that Ukraine, without any legal obligation to do so, sent troops to Afghanistan for 14 years, fighting alongside our own guys as part of the International Security Assistance force.  They've never been anything less than a friend to us.  In contrast, Russia has been egging on Iran for decades.  Russia deliberately blocked efforts by the U.S. and our allies to impose a truly effective inspection/sanction regime on Iran.  And they consistently armed Iran despite opposition from most of the rest of the world.

https://www.rferl.org/a/1073256.htm

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/russias-cooperation-iran-deal-no-favor-washington

And after Trump got elected, they continued opposing strong sanctions and inspections.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/kremlin-slams-us-maximum-pressure-campaign-on-iran-as-pompeo-arrives-in-russia/

Why?  Because they love any chance they get to stick a finger in the eye of the U.S., and create problems for us elsewhere in the world.  And their current leadership has zero desire to change that policy.

We'll never have to worry about threats from Ukraine, or Ukraine siding with China against us.  Russia is a different story.  So as long as the Ukrainians are willing to fight an bleed for their own country, helping them is not only "the right thing to do", but in our long-term national interest.

[sneakypete]

BIG mistake!

Once you start giving in to bullies and letting them have their way,there is no end to it until you kill them or they kill you.

[Hoodat]

I think it should be remembered that Ukraine, without any legal obligation to do so, sent troops to Afghanistan for 14 years, fighting alongside our own guys as part of the International Security Assistance force.  They've never been anything less than a friend to us.  In contrast, Russia has been egging on Iran for decades.  Russia deliberately blocked efforts by the U.S. and our allies to impose a truly effective inspection/sanction regime on Iran.  And they consistently armed Iran despite opposition from most of the rest of the world.

. . .

We'll never have to worry about threats from Ukraine, or Ukraine siding with China against us.  Russia is a different story.  So as long as the Ukrainians are willing to fight an bleed for their own country, helping them is not only "the right thing to do", but in our long-term national interest.

Very well stated, @Maj. Bill Martin