The Atlantic leans left, reliably. For all that, it is still a serious publication. Today Anne Applebaum reports on another visit she recently made to Ukraine, her column echoed at msn.com.
Certainly the Ukraine government wanted to show her positive things, nevertheless I believe her column is worth your time. Two particular points of interest I found, here's the first.
Trump repeatedly misunderstands Putin, overrates his alleged friendship with Putin, and often attributes to Putin motives that are really his own. "Putin is tired of this whole thing," Trump said on Fox News. "He is not looking good. And he wants to look good." In reality, it is Trump who is "tired of this whole thing." Trump who is not looking good, and Trump who wants to look good.
Applebaum could well be right about this, it would be an example of the psychological process called projection where we imagine others feel as we would in their place. Here is the second.
Ukrainians believe the war will continue, and the prospect no longer scares them. (snip) Ukrainians are confident that they can continue fighting, even without the same level of American support.
On the front line, this war has become a drone war, and Ukraine both produces drones - more than 2 million last year, probably twice that many this year - and builds software and systems to run them.
All of that helps explain the nonchalance, even the humor, with which many Ukrainians now talk about the war, as well as their assumption that they will keep fighting no matter what happens.
Skynet smiles. Bottom line, don't expect negotiations to produce much reduction in the war anytime soon. If her take on the situation is accurate and the talks stall, Trump's reaction will be interesting to observe.
