Spare a moment to consider what the European leaders around the desk think about the man not in the picture. Then consider the decorative flourishes - some might say garish - that are visible behind them. Finally, read @davekeating.substack.com piece.
Pure pragmatism. It's a valuable, yet easily forgotten skill to swallow pride on an industrial scale. We might need US militarily but US needs us economically just as much if not more. Playing subservient while keeping your strength hidden from major headlines is the way.
I’ll take the humiliation for now because we have no choice, but Americans should not forget this moment when they come whining about china some day - all they should hear then is a dial tone.
Everyone sees there what everyone wants. The fact is that they went there because of Zelensky and Trump didn't invite them. So I see bunch of pissed people sitting against small man who needs to show how much gold he has.
Western European Leaders (DE, FR, IT in particular) are currently handling the situation much better than they did in 2022. One may always wish for more, but they are in a difficult position, and only history will tell whether they fully lived up to their responsability.
Yes it is humiliating for the EU and their citizens (me included). We thought we would have a friend in Russia over time and a true friend in USA. We miscalculated and slept also. Now they do what they must do and buy time. Buying more time while we make us undependent from former friends.
Surprisingly, Meloni seems to be most pissed in the picture.
Why? She’s a nationalist, same as trump, so per definition they have diverging interests. Nationalist are not allied with another country’s nationalists. Simply put.
Exactly. In separate lanes, they support each other, but when their paths cross, they grow cross with each other. Modi-Trump is another case.
Agree mostly. But, I do think we need to come back here in a few years to properly evaluate.
The actually interesting conversation at this time is that we can properly evaluate (non) actions by our leadership after the US 'pivot to Asia', 2014 Crimea Annexation and again after the full Russian invasion. That sequence got us where we are.
I mean, you can talk yourselves into this being weakness, sure. The punditocracy can damage your liberal establishments with excessive criticism in the face of true moronic right wing behavior that is whistled past. Go right ahead. This is worse playing into Trump's hand than anything they did.
Someday they have to say stfu already. Or.. They already give the money.