Askold Lozynskyj
In physics, every action has a reaction. I am not sure what that means in politics, but I do recognize that eventually everything comes to a head. America’s rogue actions over the last six out of ten years have produced negative manifestations throughout the world, including major conflicts.
I will not tout my own horn, but I did scoff at the so-called Graham Sanctions on Russia legislation. It was a fool’s errand at best. Sanctioning Russia is not on the agenda of this clown in the White House. America under Trump seeks to lift not impose sanctions on the world’s gravest aggressor and tries to find reasons wherever it can. Releasing Russian political prisoners whatever that means is a recent proposed quid pro quo. Releasing political prisoners, even Russians, may be a noble purpose in essence but strategically, lifting sanctions is not exactly a zero-sum exercise. As usual Trump did not articulate what he meant.
Frankly with many experts offering opinions, no one knows Russia’s economic standing. More importantly, what effect does that have on Russian aggression? The population is used to poverty. It has been suggested that all the average Russian needs is vodka and sausage. A
more sober assessment is needed, one based on a historical evaluation of the Russian spirit and predilection for brutality. Putin recently explained it best when he urged his soldiers to abandon any international rules of war.
Russia did not exist until the 18th century when Tsar Peter decided that Moscow should become an empire. He even stole the name from at that time the recently occupied Kyian Rus. He decided that he would become a Tsar-Emperor having strategically, in essence, taken over the most important part of his empire: the lands of Kyivan Rus known as Ukraine. For someone as intellectually primitive and full of himself as Trump, a knowledge of history is irrelevant.
In the meantime, Ukraine has developed its own ballistic missile albeit of relatively short range, 150 miles. and continues to work on a longer-range ballistic missile that can reach Moscow. Ukrainian drones—land, air and sea—are the envy of the world. Ukraine itself is the envy of the world in terms of its intellectual and scientific wherewithal, and indefatigability.
However, its geographic location irrespective of its black earth is its scourge.
Ultimately Ukraine’s innovation may be a short-term advantage. I do not believe that diplomacy with Russia is a long-term solution. Diplomacy works when the parties act in good faith.
Russia will never be a good faith party. It’s driving force, its culture and, yes, its people—with very few exceptions—are evil.
Good people unfortunately do not comprehed evil unless they have faced it. Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, even the Poles have faced Russian brutality and evil for years. There are indigenous nations within the Russian Federation who have their own story to tell. The
bottom line is that in 2026 we have reached an international conundrum which is our own doing simply because we have failed to recognize evil or have become collaborators.
In the last few years we have taken major steps backward in the area of international law. The United Nations and the United States have reversed course. The U.N. is not so much to blame as is the U.S. since the former is simply a sum of its parts. One of the major parts was America. The demise of the U.N. is not simply due to the incompetent leadership of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres but because America for all intents and purposes has abandoned the U.N.
Guterres will be gone by the end of the year, but Trump unfortunately will remain in all likelihood. We can only pray.
American leadership is missing not only at the U.N. but at most international fora including NATO. Trump’s speech at the opening of the 81st General Assembly was a purported obituary for international institutions. Both Michael Waltz, America’s Ambassador to the U.N., and Matthew Whitaker, America’s Ambassador to NATO, are almost laughable primitive clowns. Whitaker is a ruthless evil clown. Unfortunately, their appointment reflects the clown-in-chief who made it, as well as the Republican Senator clowns who confirmed them. The planned G20 Summit is damned but Trump will take his cut.
The term clown is a generous one unless it is preceded by the adjective evil. Yes, today’s America is led mostly by evil clowns. This period will go down on the pages of both American and world history as a blot. It has resulted in repercussions throughout the world. It must be stopped before it becomes irreversible.
October 3, 2026
