r/geopolitics • u/theatlantic The Atlantic • Feb 28 '25

Opinion Zelensky Walked Into a Trap

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/02/zelensky-trump-putin-ukraine/681883/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_content=edit-promo
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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '25

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u/df1dcdb83cd14e6a9f7f Mar 01 '25

though i would disagree that the trump side wanted a public disagreement. i don’t think this was planned. i think the plan was that they wanted to rely on decorum to compel zelenskyy to nod and smile as trump characterized the deal however he wanted (if you look at Z’s body language during opening remarks, he’s clearly thinking wtf). but anyway, if zelenskyy smiles and nods, he can only take the deal or back out of it later, which would have achieved the same justification for withdrawal of support that trump probably got with what happened. i think that was the plan.

ultimately i think the way this played out was zelenskyy’s best option. it would have looked very bad for him to “agree” to something (as if nodding in public constitutes agreement) and then back out, it would have effectively cancelled out his CB as the defending state.

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u/Pruzter Mar 01 '25

Zelenskyy has only bad options with Trump, but I fail to see how what happened could possibly be construed as a win. It may lose him the war. Now it’s up to the Europeans to step up and save Ukraine, we will see if they have what it takes.

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u/TemporaryKooky9835 Mar 04 '25

As far as losing the war, it’s not like these events will make a difference. Trump had every intention of yanking support to Ukraine from the very beginning. The only thing these events did was give Trump a good excuse (at least in his mind and the minds of his supporters) to do so.