While Vlad, Xi and Don — the 21st Century’s Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance triple threat — are warming up in the dugout, that superstar pinch-hitter, Volodymyr Zelensky, has come forward to try to save his team from the agony of defeat.

Enough mixed metaphors, analogies and allegories for you? Right . . . me too.

What President Zelensky actually did yesterday was step up to the dais at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and tell it like it is:

“All European countries must be willing to spend as much on security as is truly needed, not just as much as they’ve gotten used to during years of neglect. If it takes 5% of GDP to cover defense, then so be it, 5% it is.” [Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose, CNN’s Meanwhile in America, January 22, 2025.]

His first order of business is, of course, to save his country and end Russia’s war of attrition — now going into its fourth year — while there is still something left to save. But that isn’t his only concern. He was also emphasizing the urgency of the need for all of Europe — in this time of threat from Russia, and uncertainty from the United States’ new administration — to remain united and committed to its own defense:

“Most of the world’s now thinking — so, what’s going [to] happen to their relationship with America? What will happen to alliances? To support? To trade? How does President Trump plan to end wars?” [Id.]

And he went on:

“Will President Trump even notice Europe? Does he see NATO as necessary? And will he respect EU institutions? Will President Trump listen to Europe, or will he negotiate with Russia and China without Europe? … Europe needs to learn how to fully take care of itself, so that the world can’t afford to ignore it.

“Right now, it’s not clear whether Europe will even have a seat at the table when the war against our country ends.” [Id.]

*. *. *

As we in America begin another year worrying about the skyrocketing cost of everything from eggs to education, what Taylor Swift will be wearing to her boyfriend’s next game, and whether TikTok will be blocked again, Europe is engaged in a battle for its literal survival.

That sort of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/22/25