It’s happened more than once . . . you know, all those times when Donald Trump has opened his mouth, inserted his far-right foot, and proven himself to be, shall we say, somewhat less knowledgeable than he would have the world believe. The fact that it has happened again is not news. But the two people who have recently given his foot a little extra lift toward his rosebud lips are rather surprising.

The first is none other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the popular one-time entertainer suddenly thrust, two years ago, into the roles of commander-in-chief, diplomat, and all-around hero. Being normally, and very wisely, reserved in his descriptions of other world figures — with the obvious and understandable exception of Vladimir Putin and his many minions — President Zelensky has until now remained nearly silent concerning Trump’s ludicrous boast that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours if he were to be elected U.S. President for a second term.

But President Zelensky recently broke that silence, expressing serious concern over Trump’s ridiculous boast. In fact, in an interview on Britain’s Channel Four News on January 19th, Zelensky said that he considered Trump’s braggadocio as “very dangerous,” as the former U.S. president “has not said what his post-war scenario would look like.” [Andrew Carey and Victoria Butenko, CNN, Jan. 20, 2024.]

In other words, what would be the terms of any such truce as Trump envisions it? Trump never really answers that question. When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in May of 2023 how he would accomplish this goal, he responded, “They [presumably meaning Russia and Ukraine] both have weaknesses and they both have strengths and within 24 hours that war will be settled, that war will be over.”

Ms. Collins — along with President Zelensky and the rest of the world — is still waiting for a coherent response to her question.

While acknowledging that the whole thing may just be another instance of Trump’s outrageously exaggerated style of campaigning, Zelensky expressed fear that Trump, if elected, “might unilaterally make decisions that do not work for Ukraine or its people, and seek to drive them through regardless . . . [which] makes me really quite stressed.” [Carey and Butenko, CNN, Jan. 20, 2024.] Zelensky has consistently and insistently maintained that any peace deal with Russia would have to include removal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian lands they have occupied since 2014, including Crimea . . . which Russia consistently and insistently says is, for them, a non-starter.

Stalemate.

So, Mr. Trump, lotsa luck keeping that promise in the event you are . . . Oh, no! No!! I can’t say it! I can’t even think about it!

*. *. *

The second, and apparently unintentional, little nudge came from a wholly unanticipated comment made by the always acerbic Kremlin press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, who is quoted as having said, when asked about Trump’s 24-hour-truce plan: “No, we have no understanding of how this can be done. We have not had any contacts on this.” In other words, the Putin administration has no idea what Trump has in mind.

But that’s not surprising, because neither has Trump.

Since Putin desperately wants his clueless friend back in the White House, it is unlikely that Peskov meant to undermine Trump. He simply goofed, and in so doing, gave America the biggest, nicest belated Christmas gift we could have wished for . . . and we appreciate it. Donald Trump doesn’t need anyone to help him look like Mad King George; but thanks anyway.

Just sayin’ . . .

Made you smile, didn’t I?

Brendochka
1/23/24