What Actually Mattered This Week: Trump Throws Ukraine Under the Bus
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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK
The speed of America’s foreign policy 180 is whiplash-inducing.
Whether or not you’re a fan of President Zelenskyy, the United States trying to force an election in a foreign democracy during wartime; when it can’t be held safely and securely— against most Ukrainians’ wishes (including much of Zelenskyy’s opposition)—and in violation of the Ukrainian constitution, is completely unacceptable.
Doing this not to advance American interests but to further Putin’s agenda is an abdication of American leadership in NATO and on the global stage.
The United States has become the largest source of geopolitical uncertainty in the world. It’s an extraordinary development.
Sounds like the worst political stunt of 2024. And that’s a high bar.
Ukraine’s been put in an impossible position. Their biggest—and essential—supporter over the last three years has become an adversary.
Important to remember: President Trump changes his mind suddenly and dramatically all the time.
Two weeks ago, the United States was definitely going to take Gaza and depopulate it of Palestinians. Today, that was just a conversation starter.
Now, Trump has thrown Ukraine under the bus. But if the Europeans can seriously get their act together and take the lead in standing for Ukraine, he could change his mind again.
It’s not looking likely—and I’m skeptical the Europeans can act quickly and decisively—but they have to try.
TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS
Share of Ukrainians who say they trust President Zelenskyy as of February 2025: 57%
THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN
THE GRAPHIC TRUTH
YOUR GZERO WORLD
President Trump stunned the world when he proposed that the United States take over Gaza and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," and suggesting that displaced Gazans should be resettled elsewhere. The proposal has been widely rejected by America’s Middle Eastern allies, but what does it mean for the future of Gaza and its people? On GZERO World, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour joins me to discuss Trump’s remarks, the realities of displacement, and what Palestinians actually want.
Mansour pushes back against the idea that Gazans should leave, pointing to the hundreds of thousands who have already returned to their devastated homes despite the destruction. He emphasizes the deep connection Palestinians have to their land, saying, “We have very, very strong attachment to the land, whether it is you have a palace on it, or whether it is destroyed.” He also warns that forced displacement—no matter how it’s framed—creates instability for both Palestinians and neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan, which have rejected any large-scale resettlement plans.
Beyond Trump’s proposal, Mansour and I examine Gaza's broader political future, the stalled peace process, and the challenges of rebuilding after the war. With global powers like China expressing interest in Palestinian statehood and an upcoming international conference on a two-state solution, could diplomatic momentum finally shift in Palestine’s favor? Mansour remains cautious but hopeful, acknowledging that “it gets so dark early in the morning before we see the sunlight.”
For a longer, wider-ranging version of my interview check out the GZERO World podcast.
WORLD IN 60
What is Trump's long-term play with treating Putin like a friend rather than an adversary?
How likely would the release of all remaining captives, as proposed by Hamas, actually lead to a permanent truce with Israel?
Does Bolsonaro’s indictment for an alleged coup plot signal tough times ahead for Brazil?
Find out in this week’s World in 60 seconds!
DIG DEEPER: GZERO DAILY BY IAN BREMMER
80 years after the leaders of the US, UK, and Soviet Union carved up post-war Europe into spheres of influence at Yalta, Putin & Trump are poised to do it again.
In this week’s column, I explain how the post-World War II world order is unraveling in front of our very eyes.
Do you like what you’ve seen??Sign up for GZERO Daily by Ian Bremmer
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BECAUSE THE INTERNET
Spotted on the European side of the internet...
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WHAT TO READ THIS WEEK
Yoni Appelbaum's “Stuck” offers a compelling examination of how zoning laws and housing policies have stifled Americans’ mobility—and thus—their opportunity. ?This page-turner doubles as a fascinating history and blueprint for change in ways to reinvigorate the American dream.
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DEEP THOUGHTS
“It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong.” – Abraham Lincoln
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Thanks for reading!?Please subscribe to GZERO Daily for coverage of global politics. And make sure to read my latest book?The Power of Crisis?for a roadmap of this decade's great crises and how they might help us build a better world.
I am president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. I currently teach at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow me on?X, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok,? Instagram, and Facebook.
Senior Executive and Charter Member: ??US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2002-2013 ??USSTRATCOM Joint Information Operations Warfare Center (JIOWC) 2005 (Joint with DHS) ??Defense Investigative Service 1972-1975
20 分钟前The Ukrainian Parliament calling for Zelensky impeachment for refusing to sign the Deal ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament.
Professeur des Universités (en retraite)
5 小时前Honte au peuple américain !!!
Business Comms Specialist
5 小时前???? I almost vomited watching these two cowardly lowlife scumbags bully a lone bloke in the midst of a long war, in his second language, on their turf, talking over him like Emperors from the last days of Rome, humiliating, hectoring, yelling like brainless thugs. What utter creeps. Go eff yourselves, you swine. Trump is a dementing, clueless fool at the best of times, but Vance is a vile, grotesquely ignorant, incomparably arrogant, deranged piece of filth. The EU and UK, let's get these SOBs and their money out of our region. They can go and invest in Russia with their billionaire oligarch mates. Sane America, when you are forced to secede from these mental case authoritarian fruitcakes, we can start moving civilisation forward again. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cdel2npwe50o
Analyst, Advisor and Adjunct Professor | Energy Advocate and ESG Critic | Author of "The Race to Zero: How ESG Investing Will Crater the Global Financial System"
2 天前The United States held an election in 1864 during the Civil War. Zelenskyy does not want to hold an election because it would serve as a referendum on not only his performance but also on continuing the war. He does not want to personally take that risk and his war-mongering supporters in Europe and the US can't have the Ukrainian people speaking out and pressing for peace.
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3 天前This is like kicking one of the legs of tripods which is upholding trust, reliability that were once the foundation of transatlantic alliances probably also weakening the collective security framework in place since World War II. This certainly will trigger a shift in the global balance of power.