By Laurie Baron
SAN DIEGO — The definition of an “honest broker” is “an impartial mediator in international, industrial, or other disputes.” As Donald Trump touts his deal-making skills and how he will negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine, an objective observer might question whether he is impartial.
Although Russia launched unprovoked invasions of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, Trump has charged Zelensky with causing the war: “You don’t start a war against someone 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.” If he were refereeing the match between David and Goliath, he’d side with Goliath. After all, extrapolating Trump’s reasoning means David instigated the losing fight because he picked on someone bigger with a paltry slingshot.
After meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump supported Putin’s demand that Ukraine cede territory Russia has occupied for peace, something that Zelensky had repeatedly said he would never do. Trump borrowed this strategy from the Munich Agreement of 1938 hoping it will garner him the Neville Chamberlain Appease Prize. Of course, the most pertinent diplomatic points Putin made during the meeting was that Trump won the 2020 election and would have prevented the Ukrainian war if he had been president by denying assistance to Ukraine.
To prove he wasn’t biased, Trump then met with Zelensky and his entourage of NATO member leaders. Zelensky even wore a suit in deference to Trump. Trump said he appreciated the gesture, though secretly he was miffed that Zelensky didn’t don an oversized blue suit, long red tie, and MAGA hat.
Trump previously said the US wouldn’t defend NATO countries attacked by Russia if they didn’t pay what he expects them to contribute to NATO.
Two hundred and thirteen days have passed since Trump took office, —namely, 212 days more than his promised ending of the Ukraine War in 24 hours. His even-handedness in arbitrating between Russia and Ukraine is only surpassed by how he has approached achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage return by concurring with Netayahu’s demands.
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Laurie Baron is professor emeritus of history at San Diego State University.