Summary
Donald Trump stated that U.S. aid to Ukraine should be compensated with $500 billion worth of its mineral resources, including rare earth elements.
He claimed Ukraine had “essentially agreed” to this arrangement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hinted at allowing U.S. access to these resources to maintain support.
The idea aligns with Ukraine’s “victory plan” for post-war recovery.
Trump’s comments drew criticism, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemning his approach as “very egotistic, very self-centered.”
Zelensky should agree: he can always renege after the war, claiming he did what he had to do to stay independent like the Finns did after WW2 to justify inviting the Nazis in, and pointing to Trump himself as the quintessential untrustworthy ruler who readily goes back on his word.
Can you elaborate on what the Finns did exactly? Or point me in the right direction. I just want to understand the parallel.
Basically Finland asked for military assistance from Nazi Germany to keep the Soviet Union at bay. German troops fought the Soviets on Finnish soil. And then when the war turned sour for Germany, Finland turned against Germany and kicked them out - more or less at the behest of the United States.
Finland’s problem has always been its gigantic aggressive neighbor to the east - and it still has that problem today. It explained its cozy relationship with Nazi Germany by the need to keep a bigger problem at bay. And it was completely true and completely rational.
But what was also true - and I know it for a fact because I talked to Finns who lived through the war and housed Germans - is that the German troops behaved impeccably in Finland and left a very good impression, even today. The Finns aren’t too proud of that but it’s a fact, and it’s even understandable from the point of view of individual Finns of the time.
After the war, not wanting to lose a potential ally in the newly-established Cold War, the US sort of accepted Finland’s rationale and let it slide. Kind of like they did with France too, which equally deserved a lot more flak than they got.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland_in_World_War_II
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” and all that, and we didn’t exactly have many friends to choose from.
Also what Russia did to Ukraine after Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for a pledge to never invade.
Zelensky should. Trump makes trade deals and then renege’s on them all the time.
The art of the deal
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Fins didn’t invite Nazis. Route to Norway through Finnish territory was prerequisite for much needed military supplies and weapons. After the germans were here they pretty much went where they pleased. No official military alliance was signed.