> which should help prevent Russia from further invasion

How will that prevent further agression? There are many US companies that still operate in Russia and even on Russian occupied teritories?

> which will only bring Russia closer to countries like China and a much faster takeover of Taiwan

Russia has nothing to give to China in their Taiwan takeover anymore. What the whole situation does it gives China a clear signal that US doesn't give a fuck about allies and previous promises. They make a move tommorow and that administration will even praise each other for giving up Taiwan because "it's the same nation" and "look we prevented ww3"

> There needs to be more strategic ways of dealing with Russia.

Yes, they are. Russia made it clear that it has no ways for further escalation, had severe problems with its army (DPRK troops and ammo, donkeys and horses on the frontline) and economy (interest rate is 20%+). Tighten sanctions, provide more aid to Ukraine (even in the way of loan), etc. It's not a fast answer though. And requires to have some balls.

You can argue that the deal presented to Ukraine was one that benefits America (access to mineral rights in exchange for nothing -- not even a guarantee of support) and therefore a GoodThingTM from that perspective. And if this conversation had been behind closed doors, that _might_ have been okay (though still damaging to the US long-term, IMO). But there's no way to argue that Trump and Vance's behavior was not highly damaging to America. But it was a shit deal for Ukraine--and the early drafts and pressure to sign by Trump's envoy were shockingly bad, no president would sign something like that. So Z came to negotiate and press his case, which being a country that's been resisting an invasion for the past years, he certainly is entitled to do.

Z did _not_ ask for US troops in the Ukraine[0]. He's smart enough to know that will never happen. But he does want continued military support, which if the US were still supporting democracies and resisting authoritarianism (which it's supposed to be doing, though yes, it has a long history of doing the opposite), it would do. Instead, Trump comes off like Don Corleone: pay up or you're sleeping with the fishes. That's what the world will remember.

[0] https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-volodymyr-zelenskyy-uk...

> Trump wants mineral rights in Ukraine, which should help prevent Russia from further invasion and doesn't want boots on the ground.

If that was reasoning. They could just buy those minerals like France wants. This proposal does not want to prevent, but join the invasion.

> Trump wants mineral rights in Ukraine, which should help prevent Russia from further invasion

So if US has the mineral rights, and Russia invades, what is your Trump going to do about it?

> Zelensky wants American troops in Ukraine

How else are you going to defend your minerals? EU has to defend your rights? In that case, EU needs to have those rights then.

> bring Russia closer to countries like China and a much faster takeover of Taiwan

They are already very close to China. Your plan is Trump pissing off Canada, Mexico, Panama, Denmark, Ukraine and the whole of EU, present US as an unreliable partner, throw NATO out of the window, and somehow that is going to prevent China invading Taiwan?

Maybe you don't realise this yet, but the whole world, except probably Israel, hates your guts. The ones who are laughing now are Putin, Xi and Kim Jong Un.

I'm Belgian, and I'm moving most of my US purchases to EU. If I have to decide now between a US or Chinese product, I'll just pick the most convenient one. I don't see how US would be better than China at this point.

Good luck with your president.

Don't tell me who I hate or do not hate based on my partial agreement of one article. Don't tell me how many seconds of critical thoughts I spend on whatever situation.