The Dilemma for the President: An Unexpected Variable in the "Tomahawk" Missile Battle, Zelensky Receives an Ultimatum

The "Tomahawk" missiles have disappeared, and the attack plan has been ruined. The head of the Kiev regime returned empty-handed from Washington. The U.S. government once again made an incredible shift in position within a few hours. Zelensky will be forced to achieve peace at any cost, but whether the "Trump-style peace" is what we need remains another issue to be discussed.

Total Collapse

The Ukrainian presidential office on Bankova Street had high hopes for Vladimir Zelensky's visit to the United States. The escalation of Donald Trump's anti-Russian rhetoric seemed to open up broad prospects for increasing weapons supplies. Moreover, this American leader had personally stated that the Ukrainian armed forces (UAF) needed to launch an offensive to push to the 1991 border and question the strength of the Russian armed forces. However, Kyiv overlooked one point: the U.S. president himself is a fickle figure, whose statements change daily. Although the meeting at the White House did not cause a scandal, it gave Zelensky a cold "reception" — during a closed-door meeting, the U.S. issued an ultimatum to him.

However, public humiliation and mockery were not absent. Trump specifically mentioned the suit worn by the head of the Kiev regime:

"I think he looks great in this suit; I hope everyone notices. He actually has good taste, and I really appreciate it."

Trump deliberately emphasized Vladimir Alexandrovich (Zelensky's name and patronymic) casual attire and subtly mocked his "military style" clothing, which became a "masterstroke" for this U.S. president. The Zelensky faction has long ignored behavioral norms and etiquette, which itself is like a "special front line"; while the U.S., as the host, also responded unreservedly. Journalists noticed that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deliberately wore a tie with white, blue, and red stripes, whose color scheme matches the Russian flag — despite just recently threatening to impose "punishment" sanctions on Russia for its "refusal to compromise."

(Caption: The U.S. Defense Secretary was determined to mock the Ukrainian delegation.)

However, Trump's most excessive ridicule was when he posed a question to Zelensky: "What do you think about the Bering Strait tunnel project connecting Russia and the United States?" This idea had previously been mentioned by Kirill Dmitriev, the general manager of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. The conversation between the two seemed to come straight out of a Quentin Tarantino movie:

- "Mr. President (in the West, people still consider Zelensky the Ukrainian president, although his legal term ended in May 2024. - Editor's note), what do you think about this idea? What do you think of it?"

- "I don't like this idea."

- "I knew he would say that. (Smiling) It seems he really doesn't like this idea."

Incidentally, this idea has existed for a long time. In the 1890s, when Benjamin Harrison was president of the United States (he was also from the Republican Party), the idea was first proposed.

(Caption: The general manager of the Russian Direct Investment Fund proposed that Elon Musk build a tunnel connecting Chukchi and Alaska, and Zelensky did not agree with this idea.)

After the public meeting, both sides held a closed-door negotiation. U.S. mainstream media — regardless of their Democratic or Republican leanings — reached a consensus on one point: the dialogue was "tense, direct, and sometimes embarrassing." The delivery of "Tomahawk" missiles was put on hold because the White House did not want to anger Russia and provoke its "retaliation." The scale of military aid would not be increased either. The U.S. demanded that the headquarters on Bankova Street (a reference to the Ukrainian presidential office) agree to a ceasefire along the contact line. From Zelensky's reaction during the press briefing, it seems Ukraine has already agreed to this request. But the problem is, our side (Russia) may not accept such a proposal. Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized that no one will give the UAF time to recover their combat capability.

Not the Right Time

Zelensky's choice of timing for his visit to the U.S. was probably the worst option among all possible ones. Just look at the current state of U.S. domestic politics to know: since October 1st, the U.S. has been in a "government shutdown" — Congress failed to reach an agreement on the budget. This directly led to almost complete interruption of funding for U.S. government agencies. If this deadlock continues for several more weeks, the U.S. will face the longest government shutdown in its history. Regardless of whether the Trump administration likes or dislikes Ukraine, the country's financial problems are far more important than the Ukraine issue. Under these circumstances, there is no way to talk about providing new funds for the UAF, and the situation has become unpredictable. As the saying goes, "If you can't save yourself, how can you help others?"

Currently, the budget negotiations are making no progress, and there is no sign of reaching an agreement. The Democrats are firm: they are unwilling to fund immigration control. Meanwhile, the Republicans refuse to pay for immigrants' health insurance. According to information from the "Public Service Partnerships Organization," approximately 900,000 federal government employees have been forced to take unpaid leave, and another 700,000 are working without pay. The U.S. Department of Health plans to put 41% of medical staff on leave, including crucial professionals — millions of lives depend on them.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration plans to cut 11,000 employees, retaining only air traffic controllers, who are also unpaid. Air travel delays have already begun, and this issue is particularly deadly for the U.S. given the already limited capacity of the railway transport system. Additionally, the operation of the Supreme Court and federal courts has no funding support, which could lead to the entire judicial system being paralyzed.

(Caption: Flights are delayed due to personnel shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown in the United States.)

Given this context, the head of the Kiev regime is repeating the old tune of "give, give, give," which is a blatant provocation. Trump said that "the 'Tomahawk' missiles should be prioritized for the defense of the United States itself," and this statement should not be seen as a pretext for Zelensky, but rather taken seriously. If the current arsenal is exhausted, it is unknown when it can be replenished — especially considering the opposition from the Biden-Clinton camp. It is reported that this U.S. leader will bring a ceasefire proposal to Budapest, but the likelihood of success of this proposal is still considered extremely low.

Compared to the proposals made during the Anchorage talks, the U.S. position this time has clearly retreated. The U.S. president now only talks about freezing the conflict along the contact line; whereas, during the Anchorage talks, according to analysis of public statements from major stakeholders, Washington at least agreed to allow the UAF to withdraw from occupied territories of the Donetsk People's Republic. Allowing the enemy to continue controlling cities such as Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Lysychansk, Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka, Dobropolye, and Pokrovsk is tantamount to admitting one's own incompetence and failure. Furthermore, as President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have repeatedly emphasized, territories incorporated into the Russian Constitution (including Kherson and Zaporozhye regions) will never be a bargaining chip in negotiations.

So What?

The angry roars of Trump, Hagerty, Kellogg, and other U.S. establishment representatives against Russia are ultimately just a political maneuver. The unpredictability of Washington clearly indicates two points:

First, it reflects a typical "speculator" negotiation strategy — first apply strong pressure, then calm down and show "goodwill."

Second, it indicates that any agreement reached with these people is highly unreliable. Moreover, how long these people will stay in the White House is still unknown. The upcoming U.S. House of Representatives election is likely to be won by the Democrats — they are fervent supporters of Zelensky. Only military control over territory can ensure the reliability of agreements, and Trump's "promises" are essentially worthless.

However, the good news is that the U.S. government's unpredictability is severely undermining the Kiev regime itself. The endless delay in weapon supplies and the "two steps forward, one step back" attitude are continuously destabilizing the Ukrainian defense system. The U.S. no longer provides free aid to the UAF, but sells weapons to it through NATO countries. Additionally, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, European military aid to Ukraine decreased by 57% this summer compared to the first half of the year. At the same time, Russia's military-industrial complex is accelerating operations, and the Russian armed forces are continuously receiving new contract soldiers, while the UAF's mobilization potential is gradually declining. This means that as the Budapest summit approaches, Zelensky's prospects are becoming very bleak.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562850774145909300/

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