On August 17, 2025, Ukraine’s
president Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the
E.U., as a precursor to both of them meeting with Don Trump, president of the
U.S. on ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Von der Leyen had
decided to accompany Zelensky to Washington in part to potentially play
interference should the U.S. president again publicly berate Zelensky to his
face and in part to protect Zelensky should Trump’s position/pressure be too
pro-Russia (i.e., pro-Putin). To virtually all Europeans and to many Americans,
Trump’s verbal outburst at Zelensky in the Oval Office had been shocking,
especially as it seemed to be pre-meditated and orchestrated. Taking emotional
advantage of the head of a state being invaded by the empire-scale Russia can
assuredly be reckoned as being a bad host, and even low class for the president
of the empire-scale United States. International relations do indeed contain a
very human element, and in fact leaving it out of an analysis of an
international situation is nothing short of negligent.
The full essay is at "The E.U. on Ukraine."
