Zelenskyy and Trump. The betrayal

20 OCTOBER 2026

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“It’s like trading democracy for diesel.” Professor at Brown University (Time).

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Zelensky was riding on a train when he decided to stop trying to court Trump and confront him. Zelensky had just learned that for the second night, Russia had pounded Kyiv without the usual US warnings.

Even though Trump and Musk and everybody in the administration were denying that they changed the Starlink settings, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page headline was: “To Russia with Love, From Donald.”

It reminds me of a cover of Time Magazine during Watergate just after the tapes were discovered. All the major characters were standing on the front page, each pointing with both hands to someone else.

The panel on Morning Joe was incensed:

Joe Scarborough: Trump has “declared war on Western Civilization.”

David Ignatius: “It’s a betrayal of Ukraine….facing the worst winter of their lives….for the frailest of reasons.” Putin “isn’t after peace. He’s after victory.” What he’s doing is giving Putin freedom from the most powerful weapon Ukraine has (the refineries).

Trump was “truthing” that he made the Decision to exempt Russia from the sanctions because he is quote in the process of negotiating peace. End Quote with Russia. But Russia doesn’t want peace, they want Ukraine destroyed and pulled back into the Russian sphere.

Trump: “Zelinsky. Is using diesel refineries in Russia as a target knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets?… Farmers, ranchers and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly… Zelensky doesn’t care. And frankly, with all the money that Europe is famously giving him and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war and probably never did. He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now. His country is a shambles. A large portion of his land is lost, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is low, wounded and or dead. I want this war to end! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Even Darlyene Graham (Lindsey’s sister) is distancing herself from Trump over Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal Editorial page continues: Quote Mr. Trump. Is now Mr. Putin’s best friend in the world… Mr. Trump wants Ukraine to surrender on Mr. Putin’s terms… dot There needs to be a bipartisan reckoning for Mr. Trump’s budding alliance with the Kremlin against Ukraine, Europe and American interests.”

Meanwhile, Zelensky maintains that the exempting of Russia from the sanctions “helps only the Russians. It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people.”

Zelenskyy Says. Ukraine. Has the right to defend itself after Trump calls Ukraine’s latest strikes “disgrace” (BBC). (Note: Trump and his administration are the disgrace.)

LIFE AND NEWS NOTES FROM A CHILDLESS CAT LADY WORKING AWAY IN ONE OF THE SUBBASEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF SNARK