True enough but those administrations were acting as the constitutionally authorized representative of the United States of America. It is not impossible for succeeding administrations to deviate from a previous administrations agreements with 3rd parties but every time that is done it weakens our standing among the community of nations. If every potential ally feels that America will simply jettison an ally, in this case Ukraine but Afghanistan and Syria come to mind, because it doesn't like the commitments made and acted upon in reliance on previous administrations' representations, our alliances around the world are undermined.
That breach of agreement threatens every other alliance we have.
but who is now putting his people and nation at risk by not being willing to negotiate peace with some reasonable concessions.
Trump has already conceded that there will be no NATO, no American troops, and no concession by Russia to return conquered land before the negotiations have even begun. But Trump unilaterally imposes all manner of conditions on Ukraine, not the least of which is the absence of any guarantee of the future sovereignty of Ukraine. This even though America has explicitly guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine in writing, has encouraged Ukraine not to make peace with Russia at Cairo, has made several explicit promises during the Biden administration, invited Zelinski to speak at a joint session of Congress in the wake of which he was promised the moon.
Now Zelinski, aware of every broken promise made by the Russians as they invade country after country, asks for some guarantee before he "puts his people and nation at risk" by entering into negotiations, naked, with a man, a murderer and invader of countries, whose word is worthless.
Trump's mineral deal is IMHO a brilliant way to bind Putin's hands by putting direct US interests in his way.
Consider how this plays to Zelinski and his countrymen. Inveigled into a war by promises of America including entry into NATO, the Ukrainians watch America renege. Trump presents himself as a Savior for Ukraine telling them he will obtain peace in one day. Accepting and putting aside the hyperbole, Trump is in a sense presenting himself as a fiduciary of Ukraine to negotiate a peace on behalf of an ally. Trump then says he will have no negotiation and Zelinski will have none, unless Zelinski agrees to consign some part of Ukraine's mineral assets to America.
Is this a betrayal of Trump's duty to avoid self-dealing? How does it appear to the Ukrainians?
It was a much better security guarantee than any of the other means that have been tried and aren't working.
Do we know that? Our previous security guarantees (plural) aren't worth a damn. More to the point Trump has interposed a reluctance to sign away Ukraine's mineral assets in exchange for nothing as a precondition for negotiation. What in the world does mineral rights to America have to do with the so-called necessity to sit down with Russia and Ukraine to negotiate peace? Does it mean that America does not want Ukraine to enjoy peace unless America is compensated? Consider how this transaction appears to Ukraine-and not incidentally to all of our allies around the world, especially those in Europe.
he needed to push a reality check for Zelensky who wants to fight on with other people's money and lives.
Ukraine is well aware of the mortal risk of once again falling under the the boot of Russia. Ukraine has not forgotten the murder of millions in Ukraine by systematic starvation done by Stalin. That is the "reality" under which Ukraine "fights on." Fighting and dying for survival is a decision for Ukraine, not Donald Trump, to make. Withdrawal of America's approval for that fight should come before the fight is commenced, but not after years of American support for Ukraine's survival. Coming as it does now it is not a credible or a worthy desire to avoid more death. Rather, It smacks of a betrayal.
