Summary

After a tense Oval Office encounter with Donald Trump and JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a warm UK welcome, including an official audience with King Charles at Sandringham.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a defence summit with European and NATO allies to reaffirm solidarity with Ukraine, discuss unlocking frozen Russian assets, and counter the rift caused by Trump’s accusations of Zelenskyy’s ingratitude.

European leaders fear the spat endangers Western unity and peace efforts and are vowing no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukrainian involvement.

  • taanegl@lemmy.world
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    9 days ago

    The motivation now is for Europe to finance the entire war… to ensure Zelensky doesn’t need to go back to the US.

    Such disgrace. I’ve heard of “ugly Americans”, but this is ridiculous.

    • CitizenKong@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      I mean we had to get off the US’ teats at some point, it’s been 80 years. A pity that it had to happen like this, but we have to look forward and turn Europe into the beacon of democratic ideals that the US refuses to be anymore. It will be a hard and rocky road for sure, but we can come out the other side stronger and better in every way.

        • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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          8 days ago

          Wait, in Europe? What’s the new privacy nightmare policy? I thought y’all enjoyed the GDPR. Did I miss something recent? :(

          …but also I’m posting from the U.S where privacy is “whatever you can encrypt yourself”, which isn’t much… it’s a very low bar.

    • margaritox@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Yea, it’s a shame that the American people elected this clown to represent them. I’m really heartbroken they/we didn’t choose better.

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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        8 days ago

        It was also heavily rigged just like 2020, republicans will never investigate that

          • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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            8 days ago

            I agree, but also if we follow the 'pubbicans PR pattern of “Loudly accusing you of doing what I’m actually doing right now in front of everyone.”

            …it’s almost hard not to believe it was tampered with from their end. Not on the vote counting side, like they accused “the libs” of doing (and just ended up harassing a bunch of poll workers, after all, they hate anybody who works.) but this mutated monster GOP never plays a fair game if they can help it.

          • CaptnNMorgan@lemmy.world
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            8 days ago

            Trump has implied it himself a handful of times, and the fact is Elon Musk was paying people started a sweepstakes for people in Pennsylvania to win $1million each, to vote for trump.

            • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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              8 days ago

              Not each, it was a sweepstakes, but that was absolutely manipulation. Man what a blatant way to insult the working class by dangling a chance at table scraps at them in exchange for their integrity…and no doubt many went for it.

              I wonder if any actually got paid?

              • CaptnNMorgan@lemmy.world
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                8 days ago

                Thank you for the correction. It’s annoying being the one saying something inaccurate, but I always appreciate it being pointed out.

            • xye@lemm.ee
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              8 days ago

              That’s absurd and it’s this kind of misinformation that has led our country to be the joke it is today. Do better.

  • LeFantome@programming.dev
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    8 days ago

    “Keir Starmer will also host European heads of government and the leaders of Canada and Turkey at a special defence summit aimed at presenting a united front on the Ukraine crisis.”

    So….a defence meeting with Great Britain, Europe, Turkey, and Canada without the US. This sounds an awful lot like a NATO meeting without the US.

    Trump may not have to worry about leaving NATO. They may do it for him.

  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.works
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    9 days ago

    I don’t think Zelenskyy was humiliated, it was the US. He stood up for himself well. Trolling and bullying an ally isn’t a good look.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    9 days ago

    I hope the UK & EU get all of those tasty mineral rights and Trump get left holding nothing but his limp mushroom dick.

  • takeda@lemm.ee
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    9 days ago

    Events from yesterday are sad, not just for Ukraine or even Europe, but they will also hurt US long term.

    US right now is on the path of losing its dominance. All the soft power US is losing, China is stepping in. Russia also believes it can once again become a superpower hopefully EU get’s its security seriously and won’t let them.

      • NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world
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        9 days ago

        Really tired of people saying “this is so bad for the US!”

        Yea…no shit. That’s literally the whole point of all these insane actions.

        • FaceDeer@fedia.io
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          9 days ago

          And I’m also getting a little tired of them expecting me to be sad that this is bad for the US. A lot of the “woe is me, the US is losing influence!” Sounds almost as whiny to the non-American audience as some of the MAGA stuff about the world not being “grateful” enough for them.

          The US’ international influence has been a mixed blessing for a long time. I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what Europe manages to put together as a replacement. Could be a step up.

          • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            9 days ago

            A lot of the “oh noes the US is losing influence” comes twofold from:

            1. General sinophobia as China is often seen as the next viable global superpower.

            2. Americans who deep down know exactly how good they’ve had it because of that influence and are suddenly scared that their own country could become the true corrupt, broke shithole it has always really been. We only ever had wealth because we dominated and stole it from the rest of the world.

            I’m with you, US losing influence isn’t a bad thing. It’s only bad for US citizens, who need to get a grip on how comfortable and coddled they have really been, even if they are poor. US poor is not international poor, once again, because we stole so much wealth from the rest of the world. I say this as a US citizen who is daily disgusted by the selfishness and coddled ass attitudes of his fellow Americans.

            A good example of why is how we took the worlds outpouring of compassion after 9/11 and squandered the fuck out of it by playing world police and killing untold millions in the middle east and Europe has been dealing with the aftermath for 20 fucking years now.

            • pycorax@lemmy.world
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              9 days ago

              As someone living in Asia, the US losing influence is a really scary thing. China has been increasing their aggression in the region and the US’s presence has always been the counter to that. It was a good balance but a weaker US will tip the balance to China’s favour. Not to mention that the US has been a key factor in getting Korea and Japan to work together on security matters. Unfortunately, there’s no EU or NATO equivalent for us to rely on.

              • FaceDeer@fedia.io
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                9 days ago

                Unfortunately, there’s no EU or NATO equivalent for us to rely on.

                I would say this is a good time for you guys to make one. My home country is Canada, and I think it’d be great to see defensive pacts in both the Atlantic and Pacific - we’d be keen on joining both of them, I suspect. We’re threatened by Chinese influence too.

              • Barbarian@sh.itjust.works
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                9 days ago

                As an eastern European who knows what it’s like to have an angry belligerent neighbour next door, I feel for you. I don’t have much to offer other than hoping you and yours continue to be ok, and hoping that nearby countries in similar situations can organize somewhat to help eachother.

            • NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world
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              9 days ago

              Very well said, and I echo the sentiment. Americans have been too comfortable their entire lives. Now, they may learn what it actually is to suffer and be poor.

              • FaceDeer@fedia.io
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                9 days ago

                Problem is, a lot of them already are suffering and poor. Look at the nightmare that is American health care, for example. They’re dead last among the developed world and people would rather risk death than call an ambulance because they fear it’ll put them and their next-of-kin into debt forever. Losing a job can mean death for some because their health insurance depends on employment.

                And yet the propaganda reverberates back and forth among them; “The United States is the greatest country in the world! Land of the free and home of the brave!”

                I’m Canadian, and Trump’s been Trumping a lot about how Canada should be forcibly made the “51st state.” He said, among other insane and offensive drivel, that Canadians would get better healthcare if that happened. I honestly think a lot of Americans believe that. They are deeply indoctrinated.

                We’ve seen plenty of other countries where this kind of indoctrination works. People may live terrible lives of deprivation, but as long as they believe their enemies are worse off they love dear leader for the bounty they’ve been given.

              • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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                8 days ago

                Most Americans already know what this is like. But still they vote to make it worse.

          • scarabic@lemmy.world
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            8 days ago

            “Step up” are the exact words Europe needs to take to heart right now. Fuck the US. We’re the worst of everything everyone says about us and we don’t deserve a moment’s sympathy. I mean it’s been literally decades since the last time we pulled Europe’s security out of the fire for them. So show us what you can do without leaning on us.

          • Gloomy@mander.xyz
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            7 days ago

            Yeah, but this assumes that the EU will be able to get itself together and act. Right wing governments are on the rise and the biggest bloxk opposing them in the EU Parlament are the conservatives. Europe is not known for its fast and swift decision making. Everything takes ages over here.

            I just don’t see the EU acting in union enoth to be able to face the challenges “stepping up” brings with it.

    • Pilferjinx@lemmy.world
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      9 days ago

      Russia can be a superpower if they didn’t rob the nations resources instead of investing in it and its people.

      • seejur@lemmy.world
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        8 days ago

        Aka Russia will never be a superpower. Russia history motto is “and somehow, it got worse”

    • zephorah@lemm.ee
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      9 days ago

      The US has already lost its dominance. Anything you think you see to that end atm is general inertia. People are mentally prone to incredible inertia in behaviors.

      The signs of power vacuum between first trump term and second trump term are there. China. Israel. Russia. And now the world is already rallying together against the new world bully.

      Because that is who Trump is. A bully with a giant war chest. No one likes a bully. Incidentally, on the psych side, they usually have daddy issues and/or have been abused at home.

      The brunt of it ends when Trump dies in his sleep from his medical ailments (he doesn’t look good). And then we see the real agenda of the people around him in this admin, in full force. Likely less erratic with the war chest though, and more focused on destroying any and all remnants of power and will to live in the working class.

    • 9point6@lemmy.world
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      9 days ago

      It’s gone. The USA is a superpower only because of its allegiances. In the past week it’s been demonstrated that the US no longer wishes to be a part of that arrangement.

      • oce 🐆@jlai.lu
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        8 days ago

        I wish it was given their current government, but it still is the number one military and economy, so they can do a lot of damage. It will depend on what happens after Trump, if they continue spiraling down or not.

        • RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com
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          9 days ago

          In the same sense as cancer shouldn’t exist, but that won’t make it go away. We have to agree to keep them in check and somewhat sane. The USA lost all sanity.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      9 days ago

      All the soft power US is losing, China is stepping in. Russia also believes it can once again become a superpower.

      Crazy how you wouldn’t think it was the EU and NATO countries.

      Since, you know, the entire point of him going to see trump was to show them that they needed to fill the void.

      Didn’t you notice all the “thank you” messages and how this visit was already scheduled…

    • JOMusic@lemmy.ml
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      9 days ago

      The BRICS partnership (Of which China is a key player) encompasses almost 50% of the world’s population, and their Belt and Road initiative is a soft power wet dream.

      The world has actually already become multipolar, but most Western media won’t make that clear because they are still stuck in the old Colonial mindset of Captialist-Democracy = 100% civilized / Not-a-Capitalist-Democracy = 100% backwards.

      • boredtortoise@lemm.ee
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        8 days ago

        Trump is just switching gears from the slow decline harder towards the Capitalist-Not-a-Democracy segment BRICS’s most namesakes inhabit. He just doesn’t bother to mask the racketeering into something like the Belt and Road

  • Lit@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    This Jerking Dick Vanker is a piece of shit, can’t even make a simple deal. He only had 1 job to do.

  • Sigilos@ttrpg.network
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    9 days ago

    Thank goodness, I’m embarrassed that the walking cheeto would melt down like that while holding one of the most prestigious offices in my country, although unfortunately I’m not surprised by it. I’m glad Ukraine has other places it’s leadership can turn too in this time of need. Sadly, I can only hope that the dark spector of mortality does it’s work swiftly in the oval office and this geriatric orange is done for good sooner rather then later.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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      8 days ago

      Then you get President Vance, but maybe his lack of charisma woyld start to turn the public away.

  • zephorah@lemm.ee
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    8 days ago

    It’s interesting that conservative circles are lauding Trump for removing the US from wars in “matters that don’t concern us”. Their take, not mine.

    And yet. All of this feels like a seismic shift prefacing going to war.

    Even the first term I always had the sense Trump wanted to play with war toys. Akin to him acting like a little boy playing with toy truck when behind the wheel of a construction vehicle. Now he’s more erratic than ever before, and has the people around him willing to do his bidding.

    And this is not an administration that would hesitate to draft people.

  • meowmeowbeanz@sopuli.xyz
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    8 days ago

    King Charles steps into diplomacy; is this soft power or a risky political gamble?

    🐱🐱🐱🐱