Donald Trump’s latest attacks on Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his halt to aid for Ukraine have highlighted the reality that offering him a royal visit or a stay at Balmoral can’t calm his political tantrums. It’s becoming clear that, rather than pacifying him, these gestures are unlikely to make a difference in tempering Trump’s chaotic influence.
The past couple of weeks should hopefully provide a wake-up call about the dangers of a Trump re-election, but also an opportunity to reflect on the role the US has played globally for decades. With figures like Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk representing the worst of US foreign policy, it’s time to reconsider the “special relationship” that the UK often references when dealing with the US, reported the Guardian.
Trump’s “America First” policy is just a more blunt version of what the US has been doing for years, particularly since World War II. The US has a long history of supporting or even installing authoritarian regimes worldwide, and dividing up Ukraine with Putin isn’t all that different from past US dealings in Latin America and Africa.
What’s caught European leaders off guard is that this is the first time a US president has engaged in such behavior on European soil since WWII. Back then, Roosevelt and Stalin carved up Europe at Yalta, but now there’s no Churchill to represent Europe’s interests at the table.
While UK leaders can continue to try and maintain the illusion of a “special relationship” with the US and fawn over Trump to secure what little they can, it’s clear that this approach is just stalling. What matters now is that Europe and Zelenskyy secure a spot at the negotiation table. If European leaders don’t push back against Trump’s bullying, Ukraine risks being betrayed.
Trump’s recent comments to Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, telling him he had “no cards to play,” may have pleased his base, but the truth is that if US support for Ukraine were to wane, images of Russian tanks rolling into Kyiv would do more damage to Trump’s reputation than the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Vance and Trump might not realize this yet, but it would severely undermine their hold on power.
The longer-term view is that Trump’s behaviour, especially after his re-election, is forcing Europe and the global south to reconsider how much longer they should be at the mercy of US presidents or China’s self-interest. There’s a growing opportunity for a new coalition of countries that are willing to work together to create alternatives, from economic cooperation that tackles inequality to facing the common challenge of climate change.
With the US increasingly alienating countries with its tariffs and slashing aid, this presents a huge diplomatic opening for Keir Starmer’s government. Some see it as his chance to make a significant mark in history by leading efforts to unite countries in a new world order that doesn’t rely on the whims of Trump or China. That’s a place in history worth having.
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