What is going on in Europe these Days
This is a brief Raw Story clip about Ukraine and Europe. Authenticity? I am not sure. As far as the characters in this clip, Zelinsky has much to lose and the other two (Trump and Putin) will offer up Ukraine with Putin having much to gain. Russians in Ukraine are transplants. Real estate attorney, property investor, and developer Steve Witkof is one of Trump’s talking heads who has a task to complete (Ukraine) as assigned by Trump. Certainly, the right person to talk wih about property gains and losses.
And then there is a Gallup presentation about Ukraine and the US.
‘It sort of doesn’t matter’: Trump envoy unconcerned with Putin taking over Europe
“You’re convinced that he’s not going to go further or have aspirations towards Europe,” Bream noted. “Why are you convinced that he won’t press further? If he’s given some reward or some territory this time around?”
“This is not me taking sides,” Witkoff insisted. “Now, I’ve been asked my opinion about what President Putin’s motives are on a larger scale. And I simply have said that I just don’t see that he wants to take all of Europe. This is a much different situation than it was in World War Two.”
“To me, it just — it just — I take him at his word in this sense,” he continued. “So, and I think the Europeans are beginning to come to that belief, too. But it sort of doesn’t matter.”
~~~~~~~
AB: It sorta does not matter is the correct response or opinion. Trump could care less about what Russia or Ukraine thinks. It is all about Trump. If Putin does not yield, then Ukraine is favored in a limited manner. Vice versa also. America as a whole does not favor Russia and they do not understand Ukraine. Ukraine can defend itself if armed properly which keeps the US out of the war and both Russia and Ukraine at arm’s length. In the end and if Ukraine will defend itself, give them the conventional weaponry. I am sure Ukraine wishes they still had atomic weapons again. Less aggression by Russia then.
The Gallup article has enough wording and supporting graphs to support an opinion where Russia and Ukraine are today in the battle. That Russia has not yet over run Ukraine speaks well for Ukraine and not so well for Russia. Other than nuclear weapons, Russia is not the equal of the United States. I would call the Gallup article most neutral. I think the data supports such as to what the US believes.
Support for Greater U.S. Role in Ukraine Climbs to 46% High, Gallup
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three years into the Russia-Ukraine war, 46% of Americans believe the U.S. is not doing enough to help Ukraine in the conflict, marking a 16-percentage-point increase since December to a new high in the trend that dates back to 2022. At the same time, the proportions thinking the U.S. is doing too much (30%) or the right amount (23%) for Ukraine have shrunk.
Until now, the highest percentage of Americans who believed the U.S. was not doing enough to help Ukraine was 38%, recorded in Gallup’s initial measurement of this question in August 2022. At that time, opinions were more even, with 36% saying the U.S. was providing the right amount of support and 24% thinking it was doing too much. In the first half of 2023, Americans grew more content with U.S. involvement, as those saying it was doing the right amount rose to 43% by June.
However, opinion soon shifted amid criticism by some Republican leaders about the amount of assistance the U.S. was giving Ukraine to fight the war. In October 2023, the plurality opinion, held by 41%, was that the U.S. was doing too much to assist Ukraine. Two 2024 surveys found more divided opinion, though with close to 40% still saying the U.S. was doing too much. Now that President Donald Trump has returned to the White House, the picture has changed again, and Americans’ preference for more U.S. involvement well exceeds the other views.
The latest findings are from a March 3-1. A Gallup poll conducted by web after a contentious Feb. 28 meeting in the Oval Office between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended with Zelenskyy abruptly leaving the White House. The meeting, which was intended to discuss a potential deal involving Ukraine’s mineral resources and lay the groundwork for a ceasefire with Russia, ultimately ended in failure and led to the Trump administration pausing intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine on March 3. Yet after Ukraine agreed to a 30-day temporary ceasefire deal on March 11, U.S. aid and intelligence sharing resumed as Russia was evaluating the deal.
Support for Helping Ukraine Reclaim Territory Back Above 50%
The latest poll also finds a five-point increase in the percentage of Americans who think the U.S. should continue to support Ukraine in reclaiming its territory, even if that requires prolonged involvement (53%), rather than ending the conflict as quickly as possible, even if that means ceding territory to Russia (45%). This is a change from December, when 50% wanted a quick end to the war, the highest reading in the trend for this sentiment, and 48% backed staying engaged. Before then, majorities ranging from 55% to 66% favored helping Ukraine win back its territory.
The Trump administration has pushed for a quick end to the war, though it is not clear whether that would involve Russia keeping territory it has claimed during the fighting since 2022.
The gap in partisans’ preferences for ending the war is at a new high of 60 points, with Republicans’ support for a quick end to the war steady since December at 77% and Democrats’ down 13 points to 17%.
Americans More Concerned Russia Would Violate Terms of Potential Agreement
The poll also measured Americans’ concerns about a potential deal to end the war and finds that 79% of Americans are “very” or “somewhat” concerned that Russia would violate the terms of any peace agreement, including 52% who are very concerned. Another seven in 10 U.S. adults are concerned that an agreement would be too favorable to Russia. In contrast, there is far less concern about Ukraine violating an agreement (26%) or receiving overly favorable terms (20%).
More than four in 10 Americans, 43%, are concerned about NATO negotiating an agreement without meaningful U.S. involvement, which appeared possible after the Zelenskyy-Trump White House meeting but seems less likely now that Ukraine and the U.S. are in talks again.
Solid majorities of Democrats (95%) and Republicans (69%) express concern that Russia would violate the terms of any agreement, and while a similar proportion of Democrats are also worried that the deal would be too favorable to Russia, just under half of Republicans agree.
Just 12% of Democrats each are concerned about Ukraine violating the terms of any agreement or that a deal would be too favorable to Ukraine. Republicans are more than three times more worried than Democrats about Ukraine violating the deal and twice as concerned about a better deal for Ukraine.
There is no difference in partisans’ concern about the U.S. not being meaningfully involved in negotiating an agreement, and independents’ concern about each measure is similar to the national average.
Americans Open to Sending Weapons if Russia Violates Agreement
Asked what they would like to see the U.S. do if Russia were to violate the terms of an agreement, 64% of Americans say they would favor sending additional weapons and military supplies to Ukraine. However, support is much lower for U.S. airstrikes against Russian military targets in Ukraine (42%) or sending U.S. ground troops to support Ukraine (30%).
Majorities of Democrats would support sending additional weapons (86%) or conducting airstrikes (59%), but fewer, 47%, would back U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine. Republicans are much less open to each measure — 46% favor sending weapons, 32% striking Russian military targets by air, and 16% sending U.S. troops into Ukraine.
Summation of Findings or What the Authors Call the Bottom Line
Americans’ opinions of the Russia-Ukraine war have shifted significantly in the past three months in the wake of Trump’s inauguration and a change in U.S. policy toward Ukraine. A new high 46% of Americans, including a broad majority of Democrats and almost half of independents, now believe the U.S. isn’t doing enough to support Ukraine. Despite partisan divides, a slim majority of U.S. adults now back continued U.S. support to help Ukraine reclaim lost territory, reversing the 2022-2024 trend toward seeking a quicker end to the war.
Looking ahead, the increase in public preference for stronger U.S. involvement may pressure the Trump administration to recalibrate its Ukraine policy. Especially doing so, if Russia violates potential ceasefire agreements. For now and while there’s strong bipartisan skepticism about Russia’s trustworthiness in any peace deal, Democrats are more willing than Republicans to escalate U.S. support. This action includes taking direct military actions.