Ukraine is the bleeding front edge of Europe’s resistance to Russian imperialism. Russians are pushing hard to take more territory from Ukraine at a pocket of Ukrainian settlements called Avidiivka. American weapons are vital to the ability of Ukrainian soldiers to resist and defend their very freedom and sovereign territory. If Ukraine can hold on and join NATO, Ukraine will become the strongest possible NATO keystone for the West standing in the way of Russian imperial ambitions.
Ukraine’s defeat would mean the spread of Russian internment camps and torture chambers across Ukraine and further forced deportations of its children to Russia. It could also encourage China to take Taiwan. Senator Roger Wicker for one understands all that. Senator Wicker, who serves on the Senate Armed Service Committee and the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, shows steadfast leadership in support of Ukraine.
However, in the midst of Ukraine’s crisis Donald Trump stopped Republican Speaker Mike Johnson from putting the current bill for aid to Ukraine on the House floor. Ukraine will run short of shells at the front in March without assistance. Yet, Trump had Johnson let the House go into recess until February 28 without taking a vote. This is the same Mr. Trump who also earlier stopped Mr. Johnson’s acceptance of a Senate bill that would have solved both the long-standing border crisis together with assistance to Ukraine and Israel. Mr. Trump demonstrates that he feels depriving President Biden of a win is more important than serving America’s vital security interests.
Ukraine for its part has already seriously weakened our adversary. UK Intelligence reports Ukraine has destroyed 2,600 Russian main battle tanks and 4,900 other armored vehicles since the start of the war, a significant portion—approaching a third--of Russia’s effective armored strength. However, Ukraine needs resupply to keep diminishing Russia’s power. Over 90% of funds spent by the US to supply Ukraine is spent with US weapons factories (AEI study). Yet Donald Trump stopped aid to Ukraine because he feels all solutions to all problems have to stop if it could mean a Biden win. It is beyond selfish political ambition. It is Mr. Trump’s insistence on chaos in the service of his personal political interests first, never, ever America’s interests first.
Seasoned leaders on both sides of the Atlantic are appalled. Christine Legarde, head of the European Central Bank (ECB), is not one to engage in political rhetoric. Yet, Ms. Legarde felt compelled in January to issue a warning that Mr. Trump is “clearly a threat” to Europe.
Former Ambassador John Bolton amplifies Ms. Legarde’s concerns in a way that only a former insider can. Mr. Bolton served as the US National Security Advisor in the Trump White House. Politico reports Mr. Bolton is “certain Trump really wants to blow up NATO.” Bolton quotes Mr. Trump’s remarks Russia can do “whatever the hell they want” to countries of Europe that displease him. It is a chilling reminder of Mr. Trump’s long-standing threat to abandon NATO. Mr. Bolton says, “Look, I was there when he [Trump] almost withdrew, and he’s not negotiating. His goal here is not to strengthen NATO, it is to lay the groundwork to get out.”
Bolton states in 2018: “I was there in Brussels when he damn near did it.” Further: “When Trump complains that NATO allies are not spending enough on defense, he’s not complaining to get them to strengthen NATO. He’s using it to bolster his excuse to get out.” Bolton also warns that the recent Congressional Act to restrict a president’s ability to leave NATO has “never been definitely adjudicated.” Indeed: “I think the constitutional logic is, it’s entirely in the president’s hands. So, this statue won’t restrain him.”
Recently, Donald Trump, showing how unrestrained he is, borrowed his words once more from Hitler’s Mein Kampf on his Truth Social platform. On February 10 Trump said: “2024 is our Final Battle.” In the same sentence he promised vengeance on so-called “globalists” who favor America’s international alliances and trade. Journalist Rick Wilson joked that Trump’s “Final Battle” reference “was better in the original German.” (Trump’s late wife Ivana told her attorney Trump had kept Hitler’s speeches by his bed). One can only ask: is there no degradation in Donald Trump’s language that would fall so low—or his dog whistles to his extremist followers so loud-- that would cause main-stream Republicans to abandon him? For Republicans the reckless cliff edge threatened by Mr. Trump’s extremism, in Mr. Trump’s words, “our Final Battle,” beckons still.
Or just maybe not. A Republican friend in Jackson with connections to the party recently assured me that although many Republican delegates will be pledged to Mr. Trump, if Mr. Trump becomes convicted by a jury “beyond a shadow of a doubt” of J6 crimes before the Republican Convention ends in July, all bets are off. Republican delegates would then feel released to make a new choice. Following a conviction his prediction is the delegates will ignore their pledges and turn to a traditional, or at least a “normal” Republican like Nikki Haley. Ambassador Haley at least is clear she respects the NATO alliance and America’s vital role in supply of weapons assistance for Ukraine’s defense. On that score, Ambassador Haley and President Biden agree. Security should be, it must be, a bipartisan issue. Believers in the NATO alliance and aid to Ukraine can only hope a trial of Mr. Trump proceeds rapidly--in time for Republicans to reconsider support of Mr. Trump and his long-standing threat to Europe and NATO.
Robert P. Wise is a Northsider.
