A Man Who Actually Stands Up to Trump

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The document outlined a deal that would grant the United States rights to hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of Ukraine's mineral resources. When Zelensky said he needed time to think about the proposal, Bessent nudged the paper closer to him and cautioned that "people back in Washington" would be very upset.

The Trump administration was operating in the spirit of the corrupt leaders who amassed fortunes in Ukraine and Russia in the early days of the post-communist era, using veiled threats to pressure the nation's leader into quickly transferring valuable resources in a suspicious agreement.

American diplomats from the Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations had tried to instill in Ukraine's collective consciousness: Ukraine's democracy relies on it resisting powerful business interests that seek to exploit its wealth at the expense of the Ukrainian public. Zelensky's decision to stand up to President Donald Trump, remaining true to American values despite American pressure, was a strange role reversal.

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reassuring the world, "We remain present."

Faced with the looming Russian threat, the former comedian was hardly a strong barrier against authoritarian rule.

He stood up for his country's freedom despite fierce opposition. However, he's now facing a double threat from two of the world's most powerful authoritarian leaders who are working together. For personal and financial reasons, Trump seems determined to help Russian President Vladimir Putin achieve his goal of undermining Ukraine's independence. The American president is pushing for a settlement favored by Russia, without giving Ukrainian President Zelensky a say in the negotiations. The deal he's pursuing is essentially a form of reparations, but instead of being paid by the aggressor, it would be forced on the victim. This would require Ukraine to give up its natural resources beneath its land without any guarantee of its safety, leaving its people with no chance to rebuild economically and condemning them to a life of subservience.

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to step down in exchange for a Western security pledge.

He has defied the administration's requests despite having no bargaining power in his dealings with the U.S. beyond moral persuasion and limited ability to hinder Trump. Ukraine's military relies solely on American military aid, and its European allies are unable to fill the gap at this point. Ultimately, given Ukraine's precarious situation, Zelensky may have little option but to accept what Trump demands, but he has demonstrated that there's a path other than surrendering right away.

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Once upon a time, the United States invested diplomatic resources and military aid in Ukraine to prevent it from becoming a Russian-style authoritarian government. Now, the United States is heading down that same path. Through Elon Musk, an individual with immense wealth and power, has taken control of the US government, allowing him to secretly promote his own interests. The president is trying to pressure the media into cooperating with the administration's agenda by intimidating and suing them. The traditional norms of the government have been broken so that the president can reward his allies and punish his opponents. Furthermore, in a literal sense, the United States is working with Russia's authoritarian government to align their foreign policies.

US institutions have largely failed under Trump's attack, and European allies have reacted in a state of panic. However, Zelensky's presence criticizes the West for its ineffective resistance; his determination embarrasses Republicans, who once viewed him as a modern-day Winston Churchill, for their own complete surrender. Despite having the most to lose from a Trump administration, he has continued to resist, using resourcefulness reminiscent of Ukraine's guerrilla tactics after the Russian invasion. When historians look back on this era, Zelensky will be remembered as the global leader of the anti-authoritarian movement, who refused to accept the terms imposed by those in power. He clarified the stakes of the struggle with his courageous example. He reassures disheartened liberals, “We are still here.”