Donald Trump in Scotland: If US President doesn't back Ukraine, war will come dangerously close to home
As Ukraine struggles to cope with fresh attacks by Vladimir Putin’s forces, Donald Trump needs to stop being so timid about imposing sanctions on Russia and its allies
When President Donald Trump arrived for his long weekend in Scotland, Ukraine was likely amongst the last things on his mind. I suspect his visits to his golf courses in Menie and Turnberry are his only priority – hitting the links is probably more important to him than his meetings with the Prime Minister and First Minister.
A pity for Keir and John, but more so for Ukraine’s people as the Russian onslaught continues. In the off-chance that Trump does find a moment between greens to think (maybe he’ll even pick up a copy of this paper while sipping a Diet Coke in the club lounge), I hope he considers this: Europe is next if Ukraine falls. It’s teetering at the moment, and it’s very much his problem.
Moscow is throwing everything it has to take the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Around 120,000 troops are massed there, 50,000 more to threaten the north-eastern city of Sumy, and air raids on Kyiv and the country’s other major cities have involved more than 700 drones a night in recent days.
READ MORE: If Trump finally sides with Ukraine against Putin, he may deserve hero's welcome in Scotland
More Ukrainians will die
Trump may have given Russia 50 days to back down, threatening to slap 100 per cent tariffs on their economy if it do not, and he has agreed to dispatch military aid (paid for by Europe), but it’s not enough. Not nearly enough.
Why 50 days when you could impose the tariffs within 24 hours? Why not 500 per cent tariffs instead of 100, a move that enjoys widespread bipartisan support in the US Congress. Mr President: Why the pusillanimity?
More Ukrainians will die as a result of the 50-day delay, and the Moscow Stock Exchange actually rose in value after the 100 per cent tariffs announcement as investors had expected bolder measures. Where was the kind of determination shown when dragging recalcitrant Nato members towards spending 5 per cent of GDP on defence?
Russia’s territorial ambitions
If Russia comes for Europe after Ukraine, and there is every indication it will based on state media, military planning and political statements, the United States cannot escape involvement. Even if American isolationism grows to the extent that the country would not honour its commitment to defend Nato, the economic cost would still be ruinous.
So from one Scot born to a Scottish mother outside of Scotland to another: the time for half-measures, delays and doubts should have ended with the previous administration. Back Ukraine to the hilt, and then some.
Give it the weapons it needs now, slap Russia – and its allies – with catastrophic tariffs that will destroy its already white-hot economy, and demonstrate to the world that being allied with the United States still means something, and that there is still strength in the West.
Failure to do so will result in war in Europe that will destroy American credibility and cause catastrophic damage to the country’s economy, no matter the protestations of isolationists back home. Pay a sum now, or a far greater one down the road.
I hope Trump considers that between the first and 18th holes. We don’t need a president that behaves pusillanimously, except for Vladimir Putin…
Andrew Sweeney is a writer and journalist based in Kyiv, specialising in business and medical reporting
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