Susan Page analyzes Trump, Zelenskyy’s Oval clash impact on the world
USA TODAY’s Susan Page breaks down Trump and Zelenskyy’s fiery Oval clash and its impact on U.S. support, global alliances and Zelenskyy’s future.
When it was announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was coming to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump, I was incredibly hopeful that there would be an agreement on how to end the war started by Russia and guarantee peace. This hope was shared by people throughout Greater Cincinnati, who developed friendships with people in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.Â
Since 1989, when Cincinnati and Kharkiv became Sister Cities, people in the Queen City have collaborated with folks in Kharkiv on various projects in medicine, law, education, religious freedom, business, and the arts. Runners from both cities have participated in the Kharkiv Marathon and the Flying Pig.Â
Last month, a delegation from Ukraine was here to consult with specialists in Cincinnati on how to help children deal with the trauma of war. Children come to school not knowing if they will ever see their dad − or mom − again. Many have had their homes destroyed by Russian missile attacks. The trauma resulting from the Russian invasion will last for generations. Our collaboration has benefitted and will continue to benefit untold numbers in the years to come.
Our Sister City Partnership is strong; our friendships are firm. We want what they want: an end to the war and security guarantees for their future. That’s why hopes were so high regarding the outcome of the meeting in the Oval Office. President Trump − the ultimate dealmaker − would be indispensable in making this happen.
My parents taught me to always be welcoming and respectful to guests in our home. My professional training instilled in me the importance of collaboration, cooperation and compromise. Nothing in my life prepared me for what I witnessed in the Oval Office when Zelenskyy met with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.Â
It was not American leadership at its best − strong, confident, ready to support those fighting for their very existence against a dictator who wants to destroy their independence and culture. It was not American diplomacy at its best − articulating a vision of a fair and just world order grounded in the rule of law. It sent a clear signal that this is the beginning of the end of America as the leader of the free world. Â
Trump and Vance have turned the page. They are writing a new chapter on America’s role in the world. But questions remain:
How will the war end if the United States withdraws its support for Ukraine?Why has the Republican Party embraced the Trump/Vance vision for America and turned its back on Ronald Reagan’s?Do Trump and Vance not understand what happened in Munich in 1938?What hold does Russian President Vladimir Putin have on them that they are willing to help him restore the Russian Empire and weaken, if not destroy, NATO?
The answers to these questions are of utmost importance to the free world, the people of Ukraine, to our friends in Kharkiv, and all of us in Cincinnati who believe in democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
Bob Herring is president of the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership.
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Publish date : 2025-03-03 02:21:00
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