Tell it like it is

At last, President Zelensky has lost his patience and spoken exasperatedly of Trump's apparent fixation with Putin.

This is a risky strategy but he obviously feels that Trump's latest shabby deal to gain Putin's diesel fuel, and his apparent order to switch off the Starlink drone monitoring system, leaves him no option. These actions have served to emboldened Putin as winter sets in, leaving Ukraine exposed to intolerable levels of Russian bombardment on civilian populations. The fact that Trump appears to have acted in a fit of pique only serves to make matters worse. European leaders are cautioning Zelensky to tone down his rhetoric but I applaud him for his candour. Having held the Russian advance at bay for years Ukraine has reached an existential crisis, leaving Zelensky little option but to speak his mind in the hope of galvanising his European allies into action.

He may also, of course, be appealing to a US audience in the run-up to the midterm elections and, while the diehard MAGA base will remain unmoved, especially if fuel prices come down at the pumps, many Americans, already alarmed by the economic impact of Trump's war on Iran, will be appalled by the humanitarian impact of his latest actions on Ukraine's civilian population. Zelensky may garner not just sympathy but active support, politically and also militarily, with the possibility of Russian attacks on other European countries escalating the conflict and potentially triggering Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, leading to NATO involvement.

Former UK Defence Secretary, Sir Ben Wallace, has said unequivocally that Trump wants Putin to win the war. The current Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, on a visit to Washington, has urged the US to support Ukraine. The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has warmly welcomed Zelensky to London, where he has also met King Charles. Georgia Melone of Italy and Pedro Sánchez of Spain have been openly crtical of Trump's actions. Maybe the tide of sycophancy is turning as the world admits the Emperor is naked.

Given the shocking way Trump treated Zelensky on his first visit to the White House in February 2025 it is a testament to Zelenksky's dignity and concern for the survival of his nation that he has restrained his anger this long. But now that this self-serving opportunist has clearly demonstrated the depths to which he will sink, and flaunted his utter disregard for the rules-based world order, he deserves nothing but condemnation and contempt. He clearly favours despots over democratically elected allies so good luck to him with that one. Self-respecting nations should recoil from this loathsome monster and face the consequences of his ire with courage. As Lady Caroline Lamb said of Lord Byron, he is "mad, bad and dangerous to know" and should be treated as the parish he is. Can things get any worse for Ukraine as a result of Zelensky's outspokenness?

I fear we might be about to find out.

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