The American bully

Though most countries weren’t expecting anything much at the Donald Trump- Vladimir Putin meeting for Ukraine cease fire talks in Alaska where, of all things, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasn’t invited; the so-called Ukraine cease fire meeting only served as an opportunity for Donald Trump to restore Putin’s image as a leader who till then, was declared as a wanted criminal by the ICJ for heinous war crimes in Ukraine. After the no deal talks, Putin went home happy and victorious and celebrated it by launching the biggest ever missile and rocket attack on Ukraine. Putin also made it clear the unless Ukraine recognized the occupied territories as Russian annexed lands there’ll be no truce. After the no deal talk with Putin, Trump held meetings with Zelenskyy and also European leaders where he pitched for another meeting with Putin. He pushed the European nations to a tight spot over Putin; since they could ill afford to not talk on cease fire. Truth is, there is no ceasefire nor will there ever be in Ukraine under Putin but for Trump it serves as a good excuse to help his Russian buddy to world stage once more. Trump’s infatuation with Vladimir Putin is more than troubling-it’s a geopolitical liability. He has repeatedly undermined U.S. intelligence assessments, praised Putin as a “strong leader,” and signaled a willingness to negotiate behind closed doors, outside the scrutiny of national security experts. However, Trump loves authoritarian leaders, a fact that isn’t new, but his willingness to legitimize them while alienating democratic allies reveals his utter disregard for America’s moral leadership. Trump’s worldview is built on one fundamental principle: transaction over trust. Under his administration, the US turned its back on traditional partners in Europe, Asia, and beyond, in favor of saber-rattling, erratic tariffs, and photo-ops with despots. In doing so, Trump sowed distrust and opened a strategic vacuum now being eagerly filled by rivals like China and Russia. He has betrayed and humiliated India with a 50% tariffs while he levied only 15% tariff on Pakistan. This proves that Trump is dangerously unpredictable. His presidency is bereft of a doctrine of leadership, but is guided by a doctrine of self-interest. In his mind, relationships-whether with foreign allies or domestic institutions-exist only to be exploited. Once their utility expires, they are discarded with contempt. This mindset isn’t just corrosive to diplomacy; it’s a direct threat to global stability. America’s alliances have been painstakingly forged over decades-not through deals, but through shared values and mutual sacrifice. Trump treats those partnerships as if they were fleeting hotel contracts, negotiated for short-term gain and abandoned without notice. Trump is the same reckless, divisive, and dangerously self-serving figure who is going to make America fractured and its global standing diminished. He hasn’t changed but the Republican Party and the voters will have to repent at leisure. Trump has demonstrated time and again that his loyalty lies only with himself. At a time when the world desperately needs American leadership grounded in principle, partnership, and prudence, Trump offers only a brand of leadership that is performative, impulsive, and self-destructive. America will have to suffer four more years under a man who sees every relationship as leverage, every truth as negotiable, and every law as optional.