From time to time, a political leader emerges who, driven by values and a deep-seated sense of purpose, endeavours to effect positive change. President Donald Trump is not that man.
His voters knew this before re-electing him to the White House; they were not misled. With Trump, what you see is what you get – a convicted felon who has “no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no sensitivity, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no compassion, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace”. Moreover, he is undeniably a bully.
All these traits were displayed during the catastrophic meeting with President Zelensky. One must delve deep into the annals of history to find an equally disastrous political meeting between the leaders of two countries. If that meeting were a volcanic eruption, it would be Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.
As a former minister, I know what transpired in the days leading up to such a high-level meeting.
Teams from both sides would have been working tirelessly to draft common positions and statements, negotiate deals, and ensure everything proceeded smoothly when the top guns convened.
They overlooked a tiny detail – a president and vice president intent on transforming this meeting into a launching pad for a new world order in which traditional adversaries become allies.
Following the conclusion of that meeting, many surmised that Trump had effectively ended the East-West divide by aligning the United States with its long-standing rival, Russia.
There were precursory signs that this was going to happen, most notably, Trump calling Zelensky a dictator, a term he never used for President Putin.
Trump also blamed, in Orwellian fashion, Ukraine for its invasion and then excluded Ukraine from the peace talks held in Riyadh last February. Again, there are no surprises with Trump.
In Europe, the aftermath of the White House meeting was one of unity, shock, horror, and a more profound realisation that the United States is no longer a trustworthy or reliable partner.
Consequently, Europe must take on a more decisive role in defending its borders and security.
French President Macron stated that there is one aggressor, Russia, and one victim, Ukraine.
This is the time for us to stand up, be counted, and stop the world from hurtling towards madness- Mario de Marco
The Dutch prime minister affirmed that Europe will continue to assist Ukraine, even more so than before.
The Chancellor-elect, Friedrich Merz, remarked: “We must never confuse aggressor with victim in this dreadful war.” More telling was the statement by Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who declared that “a new age of infamy has begun”.
We are now living in a world where might is right. National sovereignty is no longer sacred and must play second fiddle to the needs of the stronger neighbour.
If Russia wants a piece of Ukraine, so be it. If Gaza needs to be eradicated and the Palestinians evicted from their homeland to satisfy Israeli’s security considerations, so be it. And how is Putin’s reasoning on Ukraine different from Trump’s sabre-rattling on Greenland?
It isn’t.
What happens next? I, for one, have given up hope for positive change to emerge from within the United States of America.
The internal state of both major political parties is such that they have allowed not only a convicted felon to run for the highest office in the country but also to be elected.
In my view, this indicates a system that has been hijacked and is damaged beyond repair, at least in the short term.
A solution for peace and security in our part of the world must come from Europe, which must now find the moral fibre to stand firm and united in the face of this new threat to international peace. Unfortunately, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union in these times.
It is equally regrettable that there are no standout leaders in Europe who command respect. If there was ever a time when Europe wanted and needed strong leadership, it is now.
The optimist in me hopes that the forge of difficult times ahead will bring to the fore a steely politician that we so desperately need.
The unified voices of all European leaders are a positive sign that this continent is not prepared to bow down and give in to this new world disorder.
We must stand up and be counted, supported by the understanding that history is filled with bullies who attempted to force their thwarted views on the world.
They all became despicable footnotes in history books, eclipsed by the actions of those who stood up to them.
This is the time for us to stand up, be counted, and stop the world from hurtling towards madness.
Mario de Marco is a Nationalist Party MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament.