Ignore the Bullies
Hello everybody!
Because so many people seem unable to understand the new realities...
In the Dumpf's (& Dance's) world, all that matters is TV-appearances. The media loves them, because they're true 'click-baits': more clicks, more money from advertising. 'Information' (which the public expects to be provided by the media) is irrelevant: all that matters are 'clicks'. 'Clicks' = how often do you, and millions of others click on their websites, videos etc.
In turn, the more the media is babbling about them, the better is their standing in the public, and the more 'normal', the more 'accepted' are their idiotic ideas.
This even more so in the case of such entertainment instances like 'Fox News'.
Therefore, when Zelensky goes to the White House, that's presented as 'begging', and when he 'turns down' the (completely idiotic bunch of fairy tales presented as) 'minerals deal', his appearance is promptly (mis)used for the creation of little else but a TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
...which is all - and precisely - what Dumpf & Dance wanted to have from the meeting in the White House, yesterday. Which is why they have set up their ‘ambush’ for Zelensky.
Correspondingly, actual solution to situations of this kind is the same like it should have been right from the start, right since Dump & Co began competing for political positions (already years ago): IGNORE the jerks (Dumpf & Co). Ignore them, and ignore the idiotic media (whether Fox News or any other) earning millions from propagating them.
This even more so considering that now that Dumpf & Co are in power, they are imposing new realities on the diplomatic scene. Gone are the times when, for example, Ukrainian diplomats 'must drink coffee to signal their understanding for US points of view, and US diplomats must drink tchay to signal their understanding for Ukrainian points of view'.
In the world of new realities the bully (Dumpf & Co) says to Zalensky, 'you accept my ultimatum, or you're out'. There's no 'diplomacy', no 'protocol', but crude bullying. It's that simple.
Therefore, in these new realities there is neither something called 'diplomacy' left, nor is there need for any. Accept the new realities, and adapt to them.
....which is leading to the conclusion: DO NOT GO to the White House. It doesn't matter if you're Zelensky, Moron, Satirical, Van der Laier or else: do not give them opportunities to dress you down in front of TV cameras. Do not take part in the production of TV-commercials like 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'. Do not beg, do not even let them know what are your intentions.
IGNORE THEM.
Ignore the idiots, ignore the Nazis, ignore the bullies, and ignore the 'media' propagating them.
If they are bullying entire nations, and earning billions from spreading and supporting such behaviour, demonstrate them that they can do so only in their daydreams.
....and let them go and make their 'deals' with Pudding. Show them that what they are doing is like calculating a bill in the restaurant without a waiter: any such deals are entirely pointless, null and void without Ukraine. Period.
Tom, I feel like here you are getting into the same trap a lot of us Ukrainians got into. There is no point to fear that our actions will be misused for propaganda - because they will be anyway. Whatever we do, our actions will be highlighted in a way that favors russia. Whatever we don't do - same. Whatever didn't even happened will be presented as a fact. Whatever we do, they will be attacking us and saying that we provoked it.
So whether Zelensky go to the oral cabinet or stay at home, his actions would be highlighted like he is the one who does not want peace. That's just what Trump decided to do.
And knowing that, there is no fear in doing something you think may help. There is no point to stop resisting.
This way we at least have a clear image that Trump can't be reasoned with. A lot of Europeans, who previously thought this can be done, now have a very clear picture. Yes, they could've get it earlier, sure. But for some reason they didn't - at least until yesterday.
So the 'peace negotiations' actually were what they always threatened to be: a platform for Trump's posturing. Only a fool would ever agree to those terms and Zelensky is no fool. It's an irrelevance and always was so.
Oh, and, as ever, Trump has shot himself in the foot. A clever man would blur the margins of his position but his posturing has allowed the leaders of other nations to openly denounce America, defining clearly both their stance and the USA's. A once great nation now stands with the pariahs: Russia, Iran, and North Korea.