Will Russia’s war with Ukraine change Trump’s support? – Daily local

“Life is not black and not white, but shades of gray” is usually true. However, the Ukrainian war, waged by a despot seeking the return of the Russian Empire, is an exception to this rule. Clearly, unprovoked violence, death and destruction by Putin’s military machine can only be seen as evil. There is no defense to watching Russia’s bloody and horrific attack on Ukrainian civilian facilities, such as apartment buildings, maternity wards and theater-filled theaters. The vast majority of the world, including most Americans, is united in supporting Ukraine, and sees this war as the most dramatic part of President Biden’s oft-repeated phrase about life in an era marked by the struggle for democracy and against autocracy.

The big question in our divided country hangs over this war … are Donald Trump’s supporters still ready to apologize for his unbridled support for Putin? Here is a short list of weaknesses:

• 2014 – Putin annexes Crimea after Ukraine overthrows Russia’s puppet president and establishes a pro-Western government. Trump praised Putin for how he managed to seize Crimea, and predicted that “the rest of Ukraine will fall … pretty soon.” Echoing the Kremlin’s propaganda, Trump said in a TV interview that the Crimean people “would be better off with Russia.”

• Helsinki Summit 2018 – Trump is known to trust Putin’s words about Russian hackers interfering in the 2016 election through American intelligence.

• The first impeachment of 2019 – President Trump, of course, withheld $ 400 million in US military aid to Ukraine in exchange for a request to President Zelensky to dig up dirt on candidate Biden and his son Hunter as the Donbas military conflict with Russia backed separatists.

• Putin’s Invasion of 2022: Trump’s comments at the start of the open war were that Putin’s actions were “genius” and “smart.”

In short, Donald Trump has been a supporter and supporter of Putin’s actions for many years. Experts say Trump’s actions have weakened Ukraine, divided NATO, encouraged Putin and helped get to where we are today. And even if Trump is no longer in office, his influence continues to live on in the form of Putin-friendly comments in the conservative media and some Republican lawmakers.

“One of the main reasons Putin probably felt comfortable starting the invasion of Ukraine was the extent to which the West was weakened and destabilized, democracy undermined, and political divisions sown five years after he attacked our elections in 2016, ”Gareth said. Count, historian and journalist with experience in national security and the Cold War.

The problem is that Donald Trump is still the dominant figure in the Republican Party. The real question is, will a significant portion of his supporters finally wake up to the realization that the person they love and love does not have a commitment to democracy? What is the contrast to real heroes such as President Zelensky and the citizens of Ukraine who are at the forefront of the battle to save democracy from autocratic assassins such as Putin? That the man who idolizes Putin should never again be anywhere near the government in our country? It is time for the Republican Party to return to reality and to reason … for the benefit of our country.

Tom Boulogne
Malvern