In Munich

This weekend is the Munich Security Conference. High governmental officials, mostly from Europe and the US, attend and give speeches that represent their countries’ policies. Anyone who follows such things recognized that the US delegation would present a clusterfuck, and we are seeing that play out in real time.

Earlier in the week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressed NATO in Brussels and said that Europe can no longer depend on the United States for defense. He also commented that the US Navy is in no shape to beat the Russian Navy. He is reported to have invited extreme rightist Joe Posobiec, although it’s not clear whether Posobiec accompanied him.

Back at home, President Donald Trump announced that he had spoken to President Vladimir Putin and would be setting up mutual visits to each other’s countries. A full state visit for Putin was mentioned, but unclear. Trump later called President Volodomyr Zelensky to inform him. The US position has been “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” but Trump’s actions and words seemed to indicate he was ready to discuss splitting the world into spheres of influence, as Putin wants. He also made mouth noises about “denuclearization,” but it’s pretty clear that that was what happened to come into his head at that moment.

Vice President JD Vance gave the US speech at Munich. He chastised Europe for not having a sufficient commitment to free speech and whined about Greta Thunberg. He did not mention Ukraine or Russia. Vance met with the leaders of Germany’s far-right AfD party. Both Vance and Hegseth questioned whether values are needed in today’s world.

In a surfeit of historical ignorance, the American Congressional delegation asked Zelensky to sign over 50% of Ukraine’s mineral rights in return for the US’s military assistance. Zelensky refused.

I am not making this up.