Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

491–500 of 1001 posts

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#491

Post by Karellen »

Animats wrote: post #387

On the minerals front, the US doesn't need anything from Ukraine. Most of the minerals mentioned, except titanium, are un-mined deposits. Or things the US has plenty of already, such as oil, natural gas, coal, and iron. Here's a rundown: - Rare earths: I've mentioned the MP Minerals, Mountain Pass, CA mine before. The US doesn't have enough rare earth refining capability, and China won't export the technology. So US…

> On the minerals front, the US doesn't need anything from Ukraine.

Need's got nothing to do with it. Bullies don't take what you have because they need it, they take it because that's what you have, and they want to take it away from you, just to be taking it away from you.

For Trump, it is not enough that (as he perceives the situation) he wins, rather than (as he perceives) everyone else loses. Even people's whose backs are up against the wall. Especially people whose backs are up against the wall. If you don't exploit the weakest player at the table, why are you even playing?

(Not that Trump knows anything about gambling... who the fuck loses money running a casino... on multiple separate occasions...)

Trump isn't making deals based on carefully considered advantages and concessions. He's just grasping his tiny hands at whatever comes in reach, whether or not he needs it, like the half-wit schoolyard thug he is.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#492

Post by appel »

Deeply embarrassing and disturbing. What a sad spectacle to see the President and Vice President of the United States so beholden to a foreign dictator that they would debase themselves in this way. Unpresidential doesn’t even begin to describe it.

My heart breaks for Ukraine. The outcome of the November 5, 2024, election will prove to be a tragic mistake.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#494

Post by Glyptodon »

biomcgary wrote: post #405

George Washington's farewell address (1796) - on Europe: The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none; or a very remote relation…

I wouldn't really view "avoiding foreign entanglements" as meaning "let's insult our guest unless they slobber at my feet like a groveling and servile mendicant."

That said, I think Washington's advice should be considered as defined by a pre-globalization economy, and travel times substantially greater by orders of magnitude when compared to ICBMs. Imperfect analogy, but in some ways Europe was further away from the US then than the Moon is today.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#495

Post by jimmydoe »

trackone wrote: post #441

Things like this make it seem like China will be much more likely to try and retake Taiwan soon. Seeing things like this, it is hard to imagine that the US will help defend Taiwan by providing military aid. I can imagine that trump will try to ask for something in return first. Even something like trump asking for TSMC to be sold to trump supporters (musk and others) seems likely to happen.

Either they get the island, or they play good guy and sell more stuff everywhere bc everyone hates America more.

Trump loves speaking about cards, Xi is the guy holding all the cards, and keep you guessing.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#496

Post by selimthegrim »

gattr wrote: post #345

On the one hand, I'm pretty sure Zelenskyy has had similar exchanges with Biden and the members of his administration in the past few years. And I understand (I think) the realities here: the US isn't doing anything out of the goodness of its heart; Putin's idiotic "short victorious war" blunder presented a nice opportunity to weaken Russia via a proxy war, no decisive military/materiel support was given, just enough…

For a second I thought this was by Chuck Tingle rather than Arms Control Wonk

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#497

Post by kombine »

Republicans have been delaying approval of military aid to Ukraine during the past couple of years, tying it to Israel (which itself is morally wrong). Now a Republican president has the audacity to accuse Ukraine of not winning - precisely because of lack of substantial military aid. Glad Zelensky called Trump out on his bullshit.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#498

Post by xbmcuser »

insane_dreamer wrote: post #10

Ukraine is in a bind, and the US has the power to do whatever it wants. But boy, will the nations of the world remember this -- how quickly the US can turn from ally to bully. A really bad day for US foreign policy. The EU is going to be thinking long and hard about the future of NATO now.

US was always a bully Trump is doing overtly what US has been doing covertly using CIA etc for decades. Actually Trump is more honest than previous US administrations as those would have killed Zelensky and then blamed it on China or Russia if he was not willing to do what they want.

Re: Zelensky leaves White House after angry meeting

#499

Post by surfpel »

yes_really wrote: post #474

I saw a lot of people justifying Trump's moves because "the US shouldn't be spending so much money helping Ukraine in the war". I understand that argument, but what about security guarantees? Zelensky has been simply asking for security guarantees so that Putin doesn't start another war in a few years (like he did in 2014 and 2022). Why can't Trump provide that? Why should we just trust Putin's word? Or is there some…

[flagged]
Post reply on HN