Maybe the best thing to have done on Carnival Monday and Tuesday was to surrender to the mud and paint of J'Ouvert morning, than to don a pretty or traditional costume and jump one’s heart out, spout fire like a blue devil, even crack a jab jab whip and beat out deep frustrations over the woes of the world while embracing our surreal TT reality.
Those who didn’t take the path of Carnival escapism were traumatised instead by the antics of the leader of the free world to bring down the guillotine on post-WWII alliances that ensured peace and prosperity for many. It followed the historic diplomatic mauling of President Zelensky in the Oval Office on Carnival Friday when US Vice President Vance and President Trump ganged up on Ukraine’s president, humiliating him and then evicting him for trying to establish the facts as everyone, except the US, knows them to be about Russian aggression and unreliability. The minerals deal Zelensky came to sign remained unsigned. We witnessed the ignominy of world leaders being forced to duck from the grizzly in the White House which was no longer just huffing but on the attack.
On March 1, Ukrainians were licking their wounds but backing their diminutive leader who’d defended himself. On March 2, Canada and European leaders held a high-level meeting to express solidarity. They also acknowledged that the 1947 peace pact is over and rearmament is now an imperative. They realise that the US does not care about Europe, and not even the UK very much, although PM Sir Keir Stramer is classed as a friend – maybe because he has a royal card in play.
Britain may have a unique role as a bridge to the White House, however, its span may not be great enough. Like everyone else, Sir Keir has had to bite his lip and endure the numerous misrepresentations emanating from Washington and the bullying that is Trump-style deal making. Even King Charles invited President Zelensky to chew the fat, thumbing his lofty nose at Trump, but Britain may have to choose sides sooner or later to safeguard its own future.
On March 4, to penalise Zelensky for not fawning, maybe even for meeting the British King before he, himself, could cash in on an unprecedented second state dinner, Trump announced an immediate suspension of promised US military supplies to Ukraine and on March 5, withdrew intelligence aid. Ritually humiliated for everything, including his manner of dress – the uniform of solidarity with his soldiers that he wears officially and even with royalty, Zelensky received a veritable stab in his vulnerable back from Ukraine’s once strongest western ally.
The effect was felt at once on the battleground in Ukraine. Sadly, Zelensky too was soon eating humble pie and apologising to President Trump, who has all the cards while Zelensky does not even play cards. The US supplies most of the important war material Ukraine needs to conduct the unasked-for war with Russia and only has limited armaments left. Will Ukraine sign away its mineral wealth without security guarantees from Trump and Putin and cede
