On Monday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a visit to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He's in the United States ostensibly to attend the opening of the session of the UN General Assembly.
But he's really here to hobnob with his supporters in Congress and bend the ear of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to get them on board his "victory plan," which he will present to Biden when they meet on Thursday.
Zelesnkyy is currently engaged in a full-court press to convince Biden to back his delusional "victory plan." He's been all over New York City talking to various groups about his plan and the need for support.
He's also been in the media a lot. His recent interview in the New Yorker where he said that GOP Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance was "too radical" has now blown up in his face as Republicans are gearing up an investigation into the taxpayer funds that were used to bring him from Newark Liberty International Airport to Pennsylvania.
Saying Vance was "too radical" is a blatantly political statement, and Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, wants some answers about the reasons why the Pentagon paid for the flight.
"He further stated his belief that President Trump and his administration would not be able to stop the war, despite this being one of President Trump’s main campaign platforms (and peace in the region under the entirety of the former Trump administration)," Comer wrote.
"This rhetoric coming from a foreign leader released in anticipation of a U.S.-taxpayer funded visit about the current Administration’s political opponent is highly concerning," Comer wrote. "The Committee is investigating any coordination or communication among the Biden-Harris Administration, Pennsylvania’s Office of the Governor, and President Zelenskyy for use or solicitation of use of government property to politically benefit Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign."
Any such cooperation would be an abuse of power, which is what Democrats tried to impeach Trump for under similar circumstances in 2019.
"The Committee seeks to determine whether the Biden-Harris Administration attempted to use a foreign leader to benefit Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign and, if so, necessarily committed an abuse of power," Comer wrote.
The Pentagon claims that the State and Defense Department officials who traveled on the flight were attending to "official business."
"The Department requested Military Airlift (MILAIR) support to facilitate travel for senior U.S. government officials from both the Department of State and the Department of Defense," Adams said. "These officials were conducting official business related to U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, which included a stop at Newark Liberty International Airport, where they linked up with President Zelensky before continuing to Wilkes-Barre International Airport in Pennsylvania."
Zelenskyy's crack about Vance being "too radical" came after the GOP vice presidential candidate laid a truth bomb on Zelenskyy that he obviously didn't like.
In an interview published Sunday by the New Yorker, Zelenskyy said that Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance was “too radical” and his message “seems to be that Ukraine must make a sacrifice,” in ending the war with Russia.
When asked if Ukraine should cede land in exchange for a ceasefire with Russia in a press conference Wednesday, Vance said “everything is going to be on the table.”
Comer’s letter also criticized the timing of the visit with the publishing of Zelenskyy’s comments regarding Trump’s running mate.
Zelesnkyy has promised that the war will go on until Ukraine reclaims all lands that Russia has taken. He has not altered that war aim. Vance was simply inferring the reality that Ukraine will not be able to kick Russian troops out of Eastern Ukraine, where about half the population is Russian, or Crimea, where Russia has tens of thousands of troops as well as a base for its deep water navy.
Yes, Ukraine is going to have to make a sacrifice if Zelenskyy wants peace. Vance is right and Zelenskyy is wrong.
As for Trump, the former president said at a campaign event in North Carolina what most of Biden's advisors already know: Ukraine can't win.
“There’s really nothing for the Ukrainian people to go back to, and it didn’t need to happen. Those buildings are down, those cities are gone. They’re gone, and we continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal,” Trump said of Zelenskyy.
Trump figures that Ukraine would deal if the U.S. dropped support, probably not right away because the EU will continue to give weapons and funds for Ukraine to fight. But it would be a losing battle.
I don't think Trump can bring about peace in Ukraine "in 24 hours." Zelenskyy is too wedded to the idea of "no land for peace." And Putin has no desire to quit when he's winning. Unless Zelenskyy can convince Biden to enter the war with U.S. troops, planes, and bombs, Ukraine needs to negotiate and be prepared to give up a considerable amount of land to get it.
