“Vladimir, STOP!”
So came the manifestly impotent squeal from TruthSocial, where Donald Trump on Thursday inadvertently underscored just how asymmetric his relationship with one of modernity’s most ruthless dictators really is.
Trump’s in the process of brokering what The White House is euphemistically calling a “deal” to freeze the Ukraine conflict along the battle lines as they exist today, in 2025. As part of the proposal, the US would recognize Crimea as Russian territory, an unfathomably humiliating concession that Trump’s first-term State Department refused to make.
Before I go any further, I implore you to read the passages below from the “Crimea Declaration,” a short press document signed by Mike Pompeo in July of 2018:
Russia, through its 2014 invasion of Ukraine and its attempted annexation of Crimea, sought to undermine a bedrock international principle shared by democratic states: that no country can change the borders of another by force. The states of the world, including Russia, agreed to this principle in the United Nations Charter, pledging to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. This fundamental principle constitutes one of the foundations upon which our shared security and safety rests.
The United States calls on Russia to respect the principles to which it has long claimed to adhere and to end its occupation of Crimea. As democratic states seek to build a free, just, and prosperous world, we must uphold our commitment to the international principle of sovereign equality and respect the territorial integrity of other states. Through its actions, Russia has acted in a manner unworthy of a great nation and has chosen to isolate itself from the international community.
Don’t expect the document from which those high-minded sentiments are excerpeted to stay up on the State Department’s website. My guess is Marco Rubio will have it pulled down, so as not to be embarrassed by the about-face which, as of this writing, finds the Trump administration prepared to legitimize Russia’s claim on Crimea, thereby undermining, wittingly, what Pompeo described seven years ago as “one of the foundations upon which our shared security and safety rests.”
Let’s be clear: Rubio knows better. In September of 2022, six months into Putin’s invasion, he and Tammy Duckworth, along with Dick Durbin, sponsored a bill that promised to never recognize any of the Kremlin’s claims on Ukrainian territory.
At the time, Putin was in the process of orchestrating sham referendums in occupied territory on the way to annexation, which is to say Moscow was running the Crimea playbook again. In response, Rubio said “no amount of propaganda or political scheming that can change the reality of what is happening in Ukraine.”
Apparently, that’s not true. Because just three years on, Rubio is himself participating in “propaganda and political scheming” designed specifically to alter that very same “reality.”
In the same 2022 remarks, Rubio was unequivocal. “Putin is… attempting an unjustified takeover of a sovereign, democratic country,” Marco declared, adding that the US “cannot recognize Putin’s claims” because to do so would be to “establish a dangerous precedent for other authoritarian regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, to imitate.”
The irony inherent in the juxtaposition between those remarks and what Rubio’s currently doing to Ukraine as Trump’s top diplomat is eye-watering. Literally. As in, it makes you want to cry. Tears of sorrow for Ukraine, and tears of laughter at Rubio, who like so many other Trump officials, has just engaged in an act of political self-immolation from which there’s no return. Rubio’s reputation is ruined. Forever. He’s Rudy Giuliani now. An entire career in public service up in smoke, overnight.
Speaking of up in smoke, that was Kyiv on Thursday when nine people were killed and dozens injured by Russian missiles and drones in what counted as the deadliest attack on the capital in nine months.
In addition to being yet another example of Putin’s unbridled cruelty, the attack was a flagrant slap in the face to Trump and Rubio. Even if the US gives the Kremlin everything it wants — which is effectively what’s on offer in the US “peace” deal — Putin needs Washington and Kyiv to know he can and will continue to murder people if the mood strikes. And that there isn’t anything anyone can do about it.
Well, I take that back. There is something Trump can do. He can complain. Or feign concern on his ramshackle social media platform. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” he went on, in the same post quoted here at the outset, describing Thursday’s strikes as unnecessary, and an example of “very bad timing.”
Again: The timing is the whole point. Putin’s leaving no doubt as to what he thinks of Trump from whom he can extract anything and everything Moscow wants, including US recognition (formal or not) of Russia’s claim on Crimea and a US ban on NATO membership for Ukraine, not only without obligating Russia to any concessions of its own, but in fact preserving Moscow’s free rein to kill Ukrainian civilians at will.
Rubio this week abruptly canceled plans to attend negotiations with European leaders and representatives from Ukraine in London. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy for discussions with Russia, didn’t go either. Witkoff had a scheduling conflict: He was due in Moscow on Friday.
“…manifestly impotent squeal” – chef’s kiss
Rubio should book Four Seasons Landscaping now to announce his next failed presidential campaign.
Trumps says “Thank you” to Vlad.
Rubio, Barrasso, all the republican leaders are in the amen corner now, so don’t be surprised when we see things that at one time made us sick !
We are a weak state with Trump at the helm. Europe should take control of the process and help Ukraine.They need to stop the neighborhood bully.
I am happy to see some resistance to Trump, but I am concerned about how he will react. Putin and Xi both saying “no” to him very publicly. SCOTUS ruling against him on Maryland Man. The need for public backtracking on Powell. None of these things will sit well with Trump, who fancies himself the most powerful man in the world. His history does not suggest that he will simply shrug his shoulders and say, “Well, live and let live.”
Swamp Thang – very good point. As you said, “live and let live” is a foreign notion to the man. “Don’t get mad, get even” appears to be his overarching ethos. That does merit concern.
Seems to me “get even” has been his ethos since grade school. The man displays a perpetually angry scowl 24/7.
The history of Crimea, their leadership, their elections and their flip flop allegiance to Russia and/or Ukraine, is as clear as mud. In more recent times, but before 2014, the occurrences of 1992-1995 were full of volatility and high drama.
The UK commitment to Ukraine did not last long.
UK could scrap plans to send thousands of troops to Ukraine
https://www.thetimes.com/article/5b446875-f8ae-420e-994d-a7de9ee512eb?shareToken=604147bb1b37fd9079dbe26345501f2b
America has half a shadow and fading fast…
It’s impossible to say what’s most mystifying about all this, so I’ll just focus on Rubio. What’s so baffling is that he went into this eyes open. Vance and Trump’s views on Ukraine and Russia were no secret. Vance was the most vocal anti-Ukraine voice in all of Congress during his brief tenure as a Senator. Trump’s fondness for Putin and association of Zelenskyy with his impeachment were well known. There’s no way Rubio couldn’t see all this coming.
Contrast this with e.g. Trump’s first Secretary of Defense, General Jim Mattis. There’s no way–zero–he could have anticipated that Trump would betray the American allied Kurds to Turkey in order to protect his brand new Saudi BFF from an embarrassing spot of extra-territorial journalist murder. Then when it happened, Mattis chose the honorable path and resigned.
The only way you can square Rubio’s decision to take the Sec State job is to assume that 1) he has no honor (an easy & correct assumption), and 2) he has no wits (I’m convinced).
Witkoff sure goes to Moscow alot to get his firmware up(down)graded!
I’d like to announce my new favorite epitaph for a certain person in all of our lives.
“MANIFESTLY IMPOTENT”
I put it in all caps (just like a certain person does, on those infrequent occasions he wants to let us know he’s serious).
Vladimir, STOP!
The high school parlor games continue. What kind of bully on the block gets his way whining in protest? I can only think that Mar-A-Lardo has forgotten what it’s like to be bullied, and is relying on what any number of women have likely screeched at him in recent years when he was the one doing the attacking (i.e., groping, peeping).
But when Mike Pompeo is your North Star, well, that’s when you should stop wondering whether you are well and truly fucked. As to Rubio, adding to WMD’s comment above, many seem to consider him a craven tumbleweed, following the path of least resistance and most reward. Call me a kook, but when I see these 180 degree inexplicable heel turns, the most sensible explanation for me has become (since 2016) Kompromat. Some heel turners seem more obvious to make that divination (longtime confirmed bachelor Lindsay Graham), but the flavor doesn’t matter, just the otherwise inexplicable turn. There are just too many examples to ignore.
Nevertheless, it would appear that Putin’s prized student is graduating to advanced level coercion. As effective as Kompromat is, you still have to go to the trouble of collecting it and then exploiting it – it’s a lot, and can really get in the way of your hockey (golf) game. Much easier to just get the richies in the room and threaten their money until they give it to you or fall out a window. Our “window” may be the stock market (and tariffs), since unlike their Russian counterparts, our oligarchs have an awful lot of their money tied up in the national equity market, so maybe no need for window treatments here. (Yet).
Rubio is a political whore. What did you expect?
It’s fantastic how you can write this up so delicately while still touching on all the sore spots (no sarcasm). I could only be so blunt in describing these men and their actions that’s it’s best to just not write it up.