No deal possible with Trump

Trump wants wars. Trade wars with everyone. A "special military operation" in Mexico. Clashes with China. He is fundamentally incapable of making reliable deals. I have no doubt that within a year, something will flare up. Maybe against Iran (not the worst option), maybe a confrontation with China in Southeast Asia, maybe an attempt to launch an SVO in Mexico—some kind of "red-haired monkey jump."  

"Right now, Europeans, Canadians, and we are all just trying to delay the inevitable—under Trump, the U.S. will undoubtedly be an unreliable trickster because neither he nor his team has any functional plan. The only desire is to "tear down the old world.""

All these declarations of "let's talk" either ignore reality (which will have to be acknowledged eventually) or are part of a strategic plan (I hope it's a strategic plan) by European leaders. A plan to buy enough time to rebuild security and economic structures—to gain enough autonomy to start exerting pressure on Trump himself until his administration collapses.  

Trump and his circle do not understand the language of diplomacy. You can temporarily outplay them (sorry), but you cannot turn them into reliable partners because they are fundamentally incapable of being that. This is what unites Trump and Putin 100%.  

They can only be forced into some semblance of rationality. And this can only be achieved through the joint efforts of Europe, Britain, Japan, Canada, and other stable democracies. And—possibly—not just democracies. Because having lunatics in charge of the world's most powerful country is a threat to both democracies and constrained autocracies alike.  

So let me say it again: If we get a chance to "freeze" the war, bring in peacekeepers, and then watch as the red-haired monkey wages war on the world, Ukraine and Europe must take that chance. They must use the time to arm themselves, strengthen alliances, and exchange experience.  

This is why I find it absurd when "philosophers" and "experts" try to come up with engagement strategies for this administration—searching for mistakes to fix in hopes of constructive dialogue. It won’t work. It’s impossible. The only option is to minimize losses and observe from a distance as this chaos attempts to teach both the world and its own country how to live "the right way." And here, at least, the ocean is on our side.

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Author: Yuriy Bohdanov, publicist, expert in strategic communications in business, governance, and politics.

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.