I began this blog to add commentary to stories that I considered needed more attention. So, unlike many websites, I have not commented on many well covered and/or politically charged issues of our time. The media will always jump at a story that includes violence and is local.

Case in point is the fatal shooting of Minnesota’s Representative Melissa Hoffman and attempted assassination of John and Yvette Hoffman. I am glad the latter are recovering fine. It is tragic, but there isn’t much I can add to the story. It backs up the old adage, “if it bleeds, it leads.”

A president has enormous powers when it comes to foreign affairs. Trump has repeated many times, that the Ukraine war should never had happened, and if he was president at the time, instead of Biden, it would not have happened. This is pure bunk, as the aggressive military expansionary policies of Putin, were well known. The pre-text to the February 2022 attack was the insurrection in the Donbas region, supported by Russia.

Military expert General Jack Keane stated known intelligence suggested Putin anticipated his invasion of Ukraine would happen swiftly and with little resistance. Instead, Putin encountered a resolute Ukrainian military, backed by a strengthened NATO alliance.

Putin would prefer to buy out a country’s leader than invade it. This ultimately how Chechnya became subservient to Russia. Putin thought he could overtake Kyiv through an assault with tanks through Belarus in February 2022.

The Biden administration was clear eyed about Putin’s intention. It is to topple the government and control the country. For Biden, it was all about defending Ukraine through punitive sanctions and military coordination with the European countries.

Trump campaigned on this idea of being this great negotiator and bring Ukraine and Russia to some agreement. The talks in Istanbul are hopeless, as Russia only wanted to expand the territory it occupied and conducted a massive attack during negotiations. On June 14, Putin called Trump to wish him a well on his birthday, according to reports. Apparently, he told Trump that talks on a negotiated settlement should begin after the prisoner exchanges were complete. All Putin was trying to do, is keep the US to cut military aid to Ukraine, on the idea this would be harmful to possible settlements.

The summer offensive by Russia is likely to be brutal. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has likely given Russia assistance, by diverting the “proximity fuzes” needed to shoot down Russia drones to the US military stationed in the Middle East. This was equipment was part of a 61 billion dollar package approved by Congress for Ukrainian defense.

Further, Secretary Hegseth turned over leadership to NATO’s Contact Group Ukraine Defense Group to Germany and the UK and skipped the June 3 meeting at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. Hegseth is expected to speak at the June 24 to 25 NATO Summit, and Russia will be listening very closely, to tell whether his statements are strengthening or weakening the military support needed to defend Ukraine.

If he gives similar statements as in February, Russia will know that Trump will, once again, use the idea of a possible negotiated settlement, to deny Ukraine the desperately needed military and humanitarian assistance. I call it a Trump fantasy, good for his supporters, and awful for Ukraine and European defense.

Stay tuned,

Dave