Zelensky - Trump meeting.…just horrible. BBC news live.

[JanieJS]

Scary stuff.

I don't know what to say.

Not at all, it's so obvious Trump is in Putin's pockets and only ever had Russia's interests in mind. He wants Ukraine to stop annoying him and just secede to Russia and shut up. Zelensky is aware of that more than anyone.

Imagine being a leader to the calibre and bravery of Zelensky and having to put up with this dumb shit. Seriously. I hope Zelensky knows how deeply respected he is around the world and that respect will now only have increased.

Bump !

signed by me and dh

Starmer did what he needed to do yesterday. I daresay he didn't particularly enjoy doing it but he played Trump like a fiddle. That's how to get what you want from an immature narcissist.

But I feel uncomfortable about it now, slightly ashamed after seeing how they've treated Zelensky today. It's a stark contrast, seeing Zelensky standing up to them.

He is an incredible leader, there's a reason why his popularity rating after 5 years is so much higher than Trump's after 1 month.

I think you're right.

This cannot continue. There's no easy answers but all wars must end and sometimes the "goodies" must concede some ground to make that happen. Absolutely awful situation and personally I will be avoiding the news for a few days because everything is just so horrible that I am depressed from the moment I wake up and look at my phone!

It’s disgusting isn’t it . Absolutely appalling.

No, we cannot do that. Believe me I know how you feel but that’s emotion talking.

This will NOT help Ukraine and will NOT help us.

So so depressingly true.

Zelensky went into that meeting unprepared. He assumed that Trump would pour billions into protecting Ukraine. Zelensky doesn’t want to do any deal. He just wants the rest of the world to support him and give him billions to fight Russia.

Give over. Zelensky signed ceasefire deals with Putin. They mean nothing to Putin.

“You are not acting at all thankful”…
That was a hard watch.

I would add that they can keep the planned US nukes out of Lakenheath. Due back (if not here already) presumably because of a Russian threat, but as that threat currently occupies the White House, why should they be here?

We have our own deterrent.

Agree. And that state visit. Urgh. Don't suppose Starmer can withdraw it now. But it must be tempting

The United States signed the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances with Ukraine on December 5, 1994. In return for protection, Ukraine gave up the 3rd largest nuclear arsenal in world.

Does that mean anything though? Like who can enforce it?

@Mittens67 yep ever concerned about his ratings!

They were a nuclear state. They gave up their nuclear weapons (the only country ever to do so) in return for security guarantees from Russia, the US and Europe. That worked out well…

America can go there way and the uk and the Europeans go theirs .
It’s time

If we all survive this I’m sure there will be stories and scandals to be uncovered.
We can see musk openly trying to interfere with our politics now using his billions to make the world his desk toy.

No completely disagree. He was absolutely prepared and knows what Trump is like, plus he will have been advised from everyone in Europe and briefed specifically on this.

He played it that way to show he wasn't backing down or pandering and will only agree to a good deal, and then lost his temper a bit at the ridiculous things they were saying to him and poking him to try and get a reaction.

He is there to get the right deal for Ukraine, not just a fake ceasefire to line Trump and Putin's pockets. He knows full well they both want him out of the presidency and aren't serious about any kind of reasonable deal.

It’s interesting and I hope someone puts a montage together but from what I remember Zelenskyy has been extremely thankful for any help he’s had ?

Just watched it

Trump and vance basically telling another foreign leader to get on the ground and lick their shoes on live TV. They didn't give him a chance to speak.

I'm allowed to ponder.

Pootle - would you be happy with your children being asked to fight for Ukraine? Zelensky is forcing Ukraine’s young people to a fight a war. Does that sit OK with you? What if it was your son or daughter?

Signed. I literally feel like I’m going to vomit. Really, what is going to happen here? I feel like the coup is moving along swiftly and smoothly and we’re seeing a collection of right wing fascist dictators rising and aligning and…what, really is next?

Except we are not just supporting Ukraine to defend itself we are fighting against a repetition of WWII. But it’s looking pretty grim. Imagine if we’d just let Hitler carry on. Imagine your life now…