Europe will stand by Ukraine against Russia and the United States

Coming back from a week in Europe, I do not have a single doubt that Europe will do everything it takes to protect Ukraine against the coalition of Russia and the United States.

The stupidity of the attacks by Elon Musk and JD Vance, has strengthened, as expected, the resolution of Europeans against the United States: insulting a former ally is a recipe for disaster for the perpetrators.

Putin is smarter than Trump

Lining up with Russia to declare a short abdication is not exactly a sign of strength. It is one of the main characteristics of the new administration: its ignorance and its cowardice.

The United States is throwing itself in the mouth of the wolf by rushing to the Kremlin. The admiration of Donad Trump for Vladimir Putin (or its dependance on) is making the United States and the world vulnerable to the attacks of an autocrat.

Yet, Russia is much weaker than the United States, militarily, economically and democratically. Rather than playing on its strength, Donald Trump looks like a child begging for a parent’s love.

A negotiation without Europe and Ukraine makes no sense

Yes, Europe is closer geographically to Ukraine than the United States. It did spend more money to support Ukraine.

Saying that Ukraine has no “card in the game” is outrageous. This is not a game. Ukrainians earned the price of the blood, while the US did not deploy one single soldier to the battlefield. Russia was beaten militarily while it had to a much bigger army.

Ukrainians own their country, and that includes their minerals. There are 40 million Ukrainians on their soil. The help they got from the United States and Europe were grants. Ukraine is not in debt to be repaid and raping it is a crime.

Europe has been supporting Ukraine for an amount of $ 140 billion. But we should remember what it represents. Most of the aid came from existing military stocks and even US equipment was deployed by European countries.

Even without looking at the past, it is obvious that the reconstruction of Ukraine and the possible staffing of a protection against further Russian invasion will mostly come from Europe: the US is willing to launch wars as long as its troops are not deployed.

The betrayal of Europe

It should come as no surprise that the new US administration is betraying its allies. Trump’s only bond with people and institutions is based on money.

Yet, for Europeans like me who have felt a unique bond to the United States since they liberated us in World War II, it is a shock. How is it even thinkable that one President and its acolytes can erase 80 years of partnership in 80 days.

More importantly, the bond of trust is broken. It might take time for the United States that throwing Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland and Europe under the bus will cost it dearly. This is emotional and reminiscent of the attitude of those countries against the United States during the Vietnam war.

This betrayal has accelerated a movement that has been developed ever since Donald Trump came to power eight years ago: the search for autonomy. It did translate into a substantial increase in military expenses.

Is this what American citizens want? Do they want to vacation in Europe becoming hostile territory.

The breach of democracy

The anchorman of a recent TV series, Newsroom, tells a shocked audience that the United States is not the best country in the world. It was ten years ago. Since then, breaches of democracy abounded.

Europe looks increasingly as a beacon of democracy, despite indents of far-right movements in several countries. The German election demonstrated this trend, yet Musk’s and Vance’s gesticulation had no effect on the score of the extreme right Alliance for Germany.

We should, however, not be complacent. The forces behind the current administration are groomed in fascism and promotes fascism. The United States try to become the rally of all right extremist factions an encourages it.

The backlash has started

I certainly came back from Europe with the impression that the United States have antagonized, and hurt, their European allies to a very large degree and for a long time. The next Ambassador to France is the former convict, Charles Kushner, none other than the father of Jared Kushner, his son-in-law.

A number of actions are prepared to face a flurry of aggressions by the United States. The lessons of Trump I have been learned. Something is broken.