Trump's refusal to condemn Sumy attack stirs global debate
The USA will not sign the statement from the G7 group condemning the Russian attack on Sumy, which resulted in 35 fatalities. Why? "The desire to maintain negotiations with Russia." This refusal to sign the document marks yet another instance of Washington's shift in approach.
"With such decisions, international law will soon cease to apply. It is already functioning poorly. The consequences of what the United States is doing are very serious. This is changing the global narrative," says Maciej Milczanowski, PhD, professor at the University of Rzeszów and deputy director of the Institute of Political Science UR, to Wirtualna Polska.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg, citing diplomatic sources, revealed that Trump administration representatives informed allies that the USA would not sign the statement condemning the attack because they are "working to maintain the space for negotiating peace."
The G7 statement asserted, among other things, that the attack on Sumy was evidence of Russia's determination to continue the war.
On Wednesday, CNN confirmed the information through Canadian diplomatic sources. The network notes that the refusal to sign the statement by the United States is another example of a policy shift. At the end of February, the USA, alongside Russia, voted against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the war in Ukraine.
After ballistic missile strikes in downtown Sumy, which killed 35 people and injured 117, Donald Trump announced that he would not impose sanctions on Russia. In his commentary on the attack, he stated that he was informed that Russia "made a mistake." When asked to clarify, he did not specify what he meant. In contrast to the facts, he blamed Ukraine and his predecessor Joe Biden for the outbreak of the war, even claiming that Ukraine initiated it, despite it being a victim of Russian aggression.
Meanwhile, Russia admitted to the attack on Monday, falsely claiming it targeted a gathering of Ukrainian commanders.
According to Maciej Milczanowski, PhD, for individuals like Putin and Trump, discussing the fact that innocent civilians died as a result of the shelling in the war should not be an impediment to negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
"And constantly convincing us that nothing bad can be said about Russia because Moscow will break off negotiations is utter nonsense," says Milczanowski. "Putin knew perfectly well that the Russians would strike the civilian population. He knows exactly what crime of genocide he is committing. And Trump tries to convince us that Russia should not be criticized. This is nonsense."
He further adds that Trump seems more interested in enhancing Putin's image.
"He wants to forge a new global politics where both Russia and the USA can act against international law. With such decisions from Washington, international law will soon cease to apply. It is already functioning very poorly. The consequences of what the United States is doing are very serious. This is changing the global narrative," believes Maciej Milczanowski.
"It's a serious matter"
The interviewee from Wirtualna Polska points out that as a consequence of such actions, American society might become indifferent to events like the bloody attack on Sumy.
"Shelling of civilians in the street? Hundreds of dead and wounded? Trump's supporters are probably already commenting: 'Let's be realistic, this is what happens in war, that's how Putin is, and that's how the world looks now.' For them, soon it will be normal. Trump conveys it exactly like that," comments Milczanowski.
As he emphasizes, there should be no complacency in accepting this.
"There are principles and values that the democratic world adheres to, and the American president denies them. It's a serious matter. Changing the rhetoric allows for changing the principles of international politics. Aggression and power of superpowers are supposed to be key arguments," the expert assesses.
Milczanowski warns that "such a stance from the USA encourages Putin to execute more aggressive and bolder Russian attacks on civilian targets."
"The Kremlin also uses 'pseudo-negotiations' to strike Ukraine with greater force and undermine American efforts. These are not peace talks, but discussions about a new world order." The Ukrainian issue is merely a bargaining chip between Russia and the USA. It is supposed to be a form of payment. Both Moscow and Washington aim to extract as much as possible from Ukraine. Putin demands the annexation of the most industrially valuable regions and political influence over Kyiv, while Trump demands resources. It's a grim scenario for Ukraine," the source at Wirtualna Polska summarizes.
