The conservative Wall Street Journal continued taking swipes at Donald Trump this week with two editorials — published in as many days — that called out the U.S. president’s purported bid to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
On Tuesday, the newspaper’s editorial board called out what it described as “the looming rehabilitation” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, facilitated by Trump, as negotiations to end the conflict — which Putin began with the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — began between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. Ukrainian officials were notably not invited to participate in the meeting to decide their fate.
The Journal reminded readers of just some of the horrors of Putin’s brutal campaign in Ukraine — such as the killing or maiming of hundreds of thousands of people, the targeting of civilian’s homes and the kidnapping of Ukrainian-born children. It contrasted all that, and more, with Trump’s talk about inviting Putin to America.
“We realize that the ruthless men who rule much of the world can’t be ignored. But usually those men aren’t rewarded with a visit to the U.S., as Mr. Trump hinted last week, before they’ve made any compromises,” said the board.
“Any peace Mr. Putin strikes has to be made with all of his legacy of destruction in mind,” it concluded. Read the full essay here.
On Wednesday, meanwhile, the newspaper’s board warned how Trump is tilting “toward a Ukraine sellout” with his “rhetorical assault” on the country and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the false claim that Ukraine started the war and that Zelenskyy is a “dictator.”
“Last week Mr. Trump said Ukraine can’t join NATO and must give up much of its territory to Russia—concessions to Mr. Putin with nothing in return,” it wrote.
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“The better strategy than beating up Ukraine is making clear to Mr. Putin the arms and pressure he’ll face if the Russian doesn’t wind down the war to accept a durable peace,” the editorial concluded. “As it stands now, Mr. Trump’s seeming desperation for a deal is a risk to Ukraine, Europe, U.S. interests—and his own Presidency.” Read that editorial here.