Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. The US-Ukraine relations are in a crisis, and it’s getting worse by the day. Apparently, there’s a dispute over who ordered a disruption to a critical Ukrainian military system running on Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service. I mean, who wouldn’t want to take credit for that? It’s like a bad game of telephone, but with international relations and military systems. President Volodymyr Zelensky is warning that he will resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, which President Donald Trump claims are worsening high diesel and gasoline prices ahead of the US midterm elections. Because, you know, that’s exactly what you want to do when you’re trying to win an election – make people pay more for gas.
The new rupture between Washington and Kyiv started when Trump announced a sanctions-busting deal to buy diesel from Russia. Because, why not? I mean, it’s not like Russia is, you know, invading Ukraine or anything. The Trump administration then warned Ukraine that the US could halt intelligence-sharing for its military operations and block European purchases of US-made weapons if it did not stop long-range attacks on Russia’s refineries. Yeah, because that’s exactly what Ukraine needs – less help from the US.
Trump lashed out at Zelensky in an interview with Newsmax on Thursday, saying “I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. They’ve destroyed that country.” Oh, bless their hearts. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Russia has been, you know, invading them. He also said that he finds Zelensky more difficult to deal with than Putin. Well, that’s not surprising, given that Putin is, you know, a dictator and all.
This is not the first time that Zelensky and Ukraine have fallen afoul of Trump ahead of a US election. In 2019, Trump used the prospect of military aid to try to pressure Zelensky into opening an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Because, you know, that’s exactly what you do when you’re trying to win an election – use foreign policy as a bargaining chip.
Ukraine’s latest entanglement in US politics is fueling concerns in Washington and Europe that Trump is not just prioritizing his own political needs but is now taking a series of steps to actively help Putin. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. It’s like a bad joke, but with international relations and military systems.
The drama over the SpaceX Starshield system, a military-grade version of Musk’s Starlink service, did not simply escalate the furor in Washington and Kyiv. It raised fresh questions about the global role and influence of the world’s richest man, whose technologies have become indispensable in a new age of warfare. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be in charge of the internet service that’s used by military systems? It’s like having the ultimate bargaining chip.
The restrictions on the Starshield system effectively limited the speed of Ukrainian military hardware, including drones, and reduced the military’s capacity to communicate and to operate war planes and helicopters. These curbs amounted to a significant military advantage to Russia’s forces on the battlefield. Yeah, because that’s exactly what Ukraine needs – a disadvantage on the battlefield.
There is a growing mystery in Washington over what led to the slowdown. Musk said that “any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.” But two senior US officials told CNN that the order to limit Starshield did not come from Trump. Some officials are increasingly convinced that Musk was in large part to blame. Well, that’s not surprising, given that Musk is, you know, a billionaire with a lot of influence.
Doubts are mounting over Trump’s motives, and it’s not hard to see why. The diesel deal is just the latest example of his habit of appeasing Putin, and it will likely be used to bolster the Russian war machine. Trump’s US critics argue that the deal is just a desperate attempt to improve his standing and the standing of Republicans running for the Senate in the midterm elections. Yeah, because that’s exactly what you do when you’re trying to win an election – make deals with dictators.
As a strategic matter, the diesel deal is especially puzzling because Russia provided Iran with intelligence about the locations of US ships, aircraft, and personnel earlier in the war. It also comes as Russia is accused of sabotage and harassment operations against US NATO allies. The head of MI5, Britain’s domestic intelligence service, warned that Moscow had become “aggressor number one” and was conducting a campaign of hybrid warfare against the United Kingdom and its allies. Yeah, because that’s exactly what you want to do when you’re trying to win an election – make deals with aggressors.
In conclusion, the US-Ukraine relations are in a crisis, and it’s getting worse by the day. Trump’s motives are being questioned, and it’s not hard to see why. The diesel deal is just the latest example of his habit of appeasing Putin, and it will likely be used to bolster the Russian war machine. As Tom Keatinge, director of the Center for Finance and Security at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said, “Donald Trump is putting his electoral position ahead of the security, the safety, the lives of Ukrainian people, and this should not be lost on viewers and on policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic.” Yeah, because that’s exactly what you want to do when you’re trying to win an election – sacrifice the lives of Ukrainian people. What a joke, folks. What. A. Joke.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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