When President Trump and Vice President Vance “bushwhacked” Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday, February 28, they evidently thought Zelensky’s goal was “peace”.

Their arguments were Ukraine is outmanned and outgunned by Putin, so Ukraine should accept Putin’s terms for a cease fire.

Zelensky’s goal is actually for Putin to stop his aggression against Ukraine, which he could do today.

Putin’s goal is to get more territory in Ukraine, or occupation of Ukraine, which it appears Trump and Vance are willing to give him to “stop the killing.”

The resolve of Zelensky and Ukraine to resist Putin’s aggression reminds me of this speech by Winston Churchill on June 4, 1940, shortly before the fall of France.

“We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France.

“We shall fight on the seas and oceans.

“We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be,

“We shall fight on the beaches.

“We shall fight on the landing grounds.

“We shall fight in the fields and in the streets.

“We shall fight in the hills.

“We shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on in the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”

Sadly, it appears countries who have been our allies can no longer rely on the commitments of the United States to defend them unconditionally. President Trump appears to be aligning with Putin.