Derek Burney: Disillusioned Trump tries to talk tough on Ukraine
Article content
Trump has agreed to sell much-needed military equipment, like the Patriot air defence missiles and long-range missiles that could reach deep into Russian territory, to European NATO members for transfer to Ukraine. Among other things, the move benefits U.S. defence suppliers. Some European nations intend to send their existing supplies to Ukraine soon and obtain replacements from the U.S. Outstanding questions are: how long it will take to ship the equipment and in what quantity?
Article content
Article content
Trump is intent on extracting the U.S. from the Ukraine conflict, which he often describes as 'Biden's war,' suggesting that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if Trump had been president. His campaign promise to end the war in 24 hours has fallen to the wayside. He has slow-walked and even paused military shipments to Ukraine authorized by the Biden administration. For six months, Trump has steadfastly ignored the distinction between the aggressor and its victim. At least he has now succeeded in getting Europe to assume more of the burden. But some of the smaller European countries like Hungary are backsliding on NATO commitments to Ukraine.
Article content
Article content
Trump has threatened 100 per cent secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil — namely China, India and Brazil — if there is no progress toward a ceasefire and peace within 50 days — a bit like the tactic he is using unlawfully to extract concessions on trade from friends and foes alike. Trump's sanctions 'threat' is a reprieve enabling Putin to continue his summer offensive that has already subjugated more than 500 square miles of territory in Eastern Ukraine. Putin told Trump in a recent phone call that he intended to push hard for the next 60 days. John Lough of the New Eurasia Strategic Centre's think-tank observed that the intensifying Russian attacks were 'aimed to demoralize Ukraine's population and zap its will to fight.'
Article content
Article content
Meanwhile, 85 members of the U.S. Senate want to vote on a bill that would levy tariffs 'up to 500 per cent' on countries buying Russian oil, but the Republican majority will not move forward without a green light from the White House.
Article content
Article content
The Kremlin has stoutly rejected Trump's 50-day proposition as ' unacceptable. ' Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the state-run Tass news agency that Russia's position is 'unshakable.'
Article content
Despite the excessive flattery expressed by NATO's Secretary General, there are misgivings in Europe about the meaning of Trump's 50-day threat. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, told reporters in Brussels that, 'Fifty days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians every day.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, diplomatically thanked the U.S. president for 'his willingness to support Ukraine.'
Article content
No mention was made about the $300+ billion in Russian assets held in the West, primarily in Europe — funds Ukraine could desperately use to repair the infrastructure being demolished by Russian drone and missile attacks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
13 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
With Columbia as a model, White House seeks fines in potential deals with Harvard and others
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is pursuing heavy fines from Harvard and other universities as part of potential settlements to end investigations into campus antisemitism, using the deal it struck with Columbia University as a template, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. Fines have become a staple of proposed deals in talks with Harvard and other schools, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The new strategy was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Federal civil rights investigations into schools and universities almost always have been resolved through voluntary settlements, yet they rarely include financial penalties. The Biden administration reached dozens of such deals with universities and none included fines. Columbia's settlement with the Trump administration included a $200 million fine in exchange for regaining access to federal funding and closing investigations accusing Columbia of tolerating harassment of Jewish students and employees. The agreement announced Wednesday also orders Columbia to ensure its admissions and hiring decisions are 'merit-based' with no consideration of race, to hire more Jewish studies faculty, and to reduce the university's reliance on international students, among other changes. It places Columbia under the watch of an independent monitor and requires regular disclosures to the government. The agreement deal includes a clause forbidding the government from directly dictating decisions on hiring, admissions or academics. Columbia leaders said it preserves the university's autonomy while restoring the flow of federal money. The Trump administration is investigating dozens of universities over allegations that they failed to address campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war, and several institutions have faced federal funding freezes, like those at Columbia and Harvard. The federal government has frozen more than $1 billion at Cornell University, along with $790 million at Northwestern University. In announcing the Columbia settlement, administration officials described it as a template for other universities. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a 'roadmap' for colleges looking to regain public trust, saying it would 'ripple across the higher education sector and change the course of campus culture for years to come.' As Trump departed the White House on Friday, he told reporters that Harvard 'wants to settle' but that Columbia 'handled it better.' The president said he's optimistic his administration will prevail in Harvard's legal challenge — at least on appeal — and he suggested Harvard may never regain the level of federal funding it received in the past. 'The bottom line is we're not going to give any more money to Harvard,' he said. 'We want to spread the wealth.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Canada News.Net
an hour ago
- Canada News.Net
Trump hails Japan trade pact as job-creating breakthrough
WASHINGTON, D.C.: This week, President Donald Trump unveiled a new trade framework with Japan, announcing a 15 percent tariff on goods imported from the country—a significant reduction from the 25 percent rate he had previously warned would take effect on August 1. Trump hailed the deal as a historic win for the U.S. economy, writing on Truth Social, "This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it." He also emphasized continued strong ties between the two nations, saying, "The United States will continue to always have a great relationship with the country of Japan." According to the president, Japan has agreed to invest US$550 billion into the United States economy "at my direction" and to open its market to more American products, specifically automobiles and rice. This new agreement marks a strategic pivot in Trump's tariff campaign, replacing an earlier, more aggressive stance with a framework he claims will enhance trade fairness and boost domestic job creation. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responded early on June 23, stating that the agreement would prove mutually beneficial and foster greater cooperation between Tokyo and Washington. The acknowledgment signals a rare moment of harmony amid months of tariff escalations and trade tensions. While Trump's initial round of tariffs, introduced in early April, rattled global markets and triggered fears of a slowdown, those concerns appear to have eased for now. Still, the president's latest social media statement left some questions unanswered—most notably, whether the 25 percent tariff on Japanese-built automobiles remains in effect or has been folded into the new 15 percent rate. The Japan agreement fits within Trump's larger strategy of framing tariffs not as punitive but as economically transformative. His administration argues that revenues generated from tariffs will help reduce the U.S. budget deficit, incentivize companies to shift manufacturing to American soil, and address chronic trade imbalances. Officials believe this will result in a stronger, more self-reliant industrial base. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains contested. Tariffs are still causing deep uncertainty in business circles, where companies fear rising costs. A stark example came on a day earlier, when General Motors reported a 35 percent drop in net income for the second quarter. The company blamed the slump partly on tariff pressures and warned of further hits to its business in the near future. Its stock took a sharp downturn following the announcement, underlining the volatility that continues to shadow Trump's trade agenda. As the August 1 deadline nears for the imposition of new tariffs outlined in letters sent to world leaders, Trump has expanded his strategy. Alongside the Japan deal, he also announced a new trade framework with the Philippines, imposing a 19 percent tariff on Filipino goods, while ensuring American exports to the country would remain untaxed. Similarly, he reaffirmed an identical 19 percent tariff on goods imported from Indonesia. Trade data shows the U.S. had a $69.4 billion trade imbalance with Japan last year, while the imbalance stood at $17.9 billion with Indonesia and $4.9 billion with the Philippines. These figures reflect how the U.S. imports significantly more from these nations than it exports to them. Both Indonesia and the Philippines, being less affluent economies, could be more vulnerable to the impact of these tariffs. Amid these moves, the European Union is also under pressure. Trump had sent a letter earlier in the month, threatening all 27 EU member states with 30 percent tariffs on their exports, effective August 1, if no agreement is reached. Meanwhile, separate negotiations with China remain underway. The current round of talks is scheduled to continue until August 12, while a baseline 30 percent tariff remains in effect on Chinese goods. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced he would travel to Stockholm on July 28 and 29 to meet with Chinese counterparts. As Trump escalates his multi-front trade strategy, the coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether these new agreements can hold, and whether the bold predictions of job growth and economic revival will come to pass—or give way to rising costs and deeper global uncertainty.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Why the U.S. is pulling out of UNESCO
Andrew Chang explains why U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the second time.
