Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished

The Ukrainian flag since 2006. Earlier post-Soviet era flags starting in 1991 had a lighter shade of blue on top. These colors, if not the flag, have represented Ukraine since the 1800s. The blue represents the sky and the yellow represents the wheat fields of Ukraine and its highly fertile lands. Ukraine has long been known as “the bread basket of Europe” for its production of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil. Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished is the English name for their national anthem.

The President of the United States continues to defile all that Americans used to hold dear. His transgressions are growing by the day. In my mind, this past week has been the worst in undermining our standing in the world. Trump has openly embraced and aided Russia, a country ruled by a ruthless dictator who invaded Ukraine and deliberately targets civilians and commits war crimes, rather than defend a European democracy. The war is the largest ground conflict in Europe since World War II and our president has sided with a relentless enemy against our allies.

This past week the extent of such support to Russia by Trump became too obvious and dangerous to ignore. As a Navy veteran of twenty-eight years I am appalled, ashamed and mad as hell.

What is he doing and why is he doing it? Let’s take the second part first. Trump has hated Ukraine, and specifically President Voldymyr Zelenskyy for years. Trump blames him for his first impeachment over the July 2019 “perfect phone call” to Ukraine where he tried to convince Zelenskyy to call for an investigation into the Biden family for corruption in exchange for releasing military aid to Ukraine approved by the U.S. Congress. Zelenskyy refused. Further, and less noticed but perhaps more grating to Trump, he asked for a Ukrainian investigation into Crowdstrike, a cyber security company. This is part of a widely discredited conspiracy theory that there was a server in Ukraine that was hacking into Democrat Party computers in 2016 to influence the presidential election and then blame it all on Russia. This is where the “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax” that Trump still whines about came from. It also led to the Mueller Report and the investigations of Trump and his associates. Zekenskyy told Trump that there was no such conspiracy so there was nothing to investigate. Trump was, and is, furious.

In addition, Trump’s view of the world is that rich powerful countries should have their way with poorer, less powerful countries. Russia should be able to dominate because Putin is rich and powerful. It is his right. This is where the “Donroe Doctrine” comes in where Trump and his cronies believe that the U.S. should dominate the western hemisphere and all that is in it. It is also an element of the Project 2025 effort to reshape the U.S. so that rich, powerful, white men control everything and the rest of us are here to serve their purposes. Putin is powerful, Zelenskyy is not. (“You don’t hold any cards,”) It infuriates Trump that Zelenskyy does not go along with his world view. In my opinion, Trump’s top negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are of the same world view. They go into a meeting, demand that the other side acquiesce, and when that side does not give in or if they attempt to pursue their own interests the two get upset, disrupt the negotiation and “punish” the malcontents. (See the war of choice against Iran.) Of course all of them are trying to make even more money and they see Russia as a potential business opportunity to add to their list. More on that below.

Finally, Trump believes everything Putin tells him without question. Whether that is because of Trump’s world view (from one autocrat to another — believe me), because Trump is not that smart (no interest in history, culture or reality) or because Putin has information that makes Trump beholden to him, I do not know. Perhaps all of it together. The result is the same.

So what is going on right now?

Last weekend Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. Supposedly, to bring down the price leading to the election. In reality, it is literally a drop in the bucket (one day’s worth of fuel in the U.S.) but it could net Putin a billion dollars or more to acquire more missiles and drones and to continue to help Iran kill and wound Americans.

Then Trump declared an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine. Neither country knew about it. However, Ukraine ceased attacking Russian oil refineries for several days. Russia did not stop. Indeed, they increased their attacks on the Ukrainian energy sites and electric grids plunging large sections of the country into darkness.

During the increased barrage from Russia, on the night of the heaviest attack of the war thus far, warnings of the attack did not come. U.S. intelligence aid had been cut. The result was devastating loss of life in Ukraine. It is unclear why that happened as there is a lot of finger pointing. But that it happened is clear.

At the same time, the military portion of Starlink called Starshield was put into a mode that made Ukrainian drones and defenses impotent against most incoming Russian attacks. Starshield is a low earth orbit satellite system developed by Elon Musk’s Space X company. Musk is another one in the Epstein class that sees the world order as Trump and Putin do and hates Zelenskyy. Musk says the White House and Defense Department have total control of Starshield in Ukraine and Trump says Musk controls it. Again, that it happened is not in dispute. Unconfirmed reports state that Musk recommended it to Trump who okayed the action. Who actually pulled the plug does not matter — it would not have happened without Trump knowing about it.

So lets see. Suddenly intelligence warnings of incoming attacks cease at the exact time that Russia sends the most missiles and drones in one attack during the war and at the exact time that Ukrainian defenses and capabilities to attack Russia are tampered with. Coincidence? I think not.

Last night — a Friday night to dampen interest — Trump signed an Executive Order (E.O.) that overrides the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, a bipartisan bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump just last month. The bill is designed to cripple Russia’s economy by imposing further heavy sanctions on Russia (and Iran) and on those that trade with Russia. It was designed to help Ukraine. Instead, Trump is unleashing the Russian economy to increase revenue to shore up its military capabilities. The sanctions remain for Iran, but Russia and China are keeping them afloat. Trump is not even pretending anymore. He is openly defying Congress to help the brutal dictator in Russia to the great delight of the Russian government. Trump’s rationale for doing so? It is “in the national interest.”

Or is it in his interest to do so?

As reported in the New York Times Trump’s attempts to end the war (I thought it was supposed to be done on “day one”) include major oil deals involving the Russian oil company Lukoil that would benefit certain business entities with ties to — wait for it — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They are also looking at ways to reintegrate the Russian economy and to release frozen Russian assets to fund US-Russian projects or to be used in U.S. investment projects. Remember that Witkoff and Kushner are not U.S. government employees, therefore they are not required to disclose their personal financial information or otherwise abide by U.S. rules and regulations that cover regular diplomats and their activities.

To further add fuel to the fire, incidents known as gray zone attacks have been occurring throughout Europe. With all of the rings in Trump’s circus going full bore, these attacks are getting less attention here than they might otherwise. Our NATO allies are dealing with a string of low level provocations that fall just short of open hostilities. Russia is pushing the envelope to see how far it can go without precipitating a war. According to the International Center for Counterterrorism there are 151 documented Russian sabotage efforts in Europe between February 2022 and February 2026. They have increased in recent months. Russian drones have “accidentally” penetrated NATO airspace around Europe but especially in the Baltic States and Poland. Undersea power and telecom cables have been cut. These and other “hybrid” or asymmetrical operations are designed to test NATO’s resolve and to weaken support to Ukraine.

The world order that kept the world stable since World War II is under attack. Trump and his bumbling administration are aiding and abetting the enemy. They do not care anymore whether we know it or not. If they benefit, they act, the rest of us be damned.

Please vote their willing accomplices in Congress out of office in November. They need to be stopped and held accountable.