In Trumps Kartenspiel hat die Ukraine noch ein Ass zu spielen

Mark Wallace writes:

Donald Trump likes to talk cards. Despite Volodomyr Zelensky’s justified reminder during that Oval Office argument that “I am not playing cards”, the US President often returns to the theme. The Ukrainians, he declares, [have no cards](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/how-ukraine-border-could-change-peace-deal-map-3588911?ico=in-line_link), while Russia holds a lot.

This is helped by the United States’ own decisions to stack the deck in Moscow’s favour: stripping Ukraine of access to American intelligence [denied their air defences early warning ](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/russia-using-us-intelligence-blackout-hit-ukraine-targets-peace-talks-3572802?srsltid=AfmBOoqSJY_LSbBenRFbMLxzG3sN802RAPAqDBClProCkboDnCrMzGi3&ico=in-line_link)and laid open Ukrainian troops occupying the Kursk salient to a conveniently timed Russian offensive.

The card metaphor is a useful insight into how the White House thinks. By Trump’s logic, if you hold the cards then you have options. You can take the initiative, you can force others to do as you wish, and you can negotiate. Without cards, you are at the mercy of the decisions of others.

We didn’t choose this game, but the United States has decided that we should all play it. It’s therefore important that all participants assess what they have at their disposal in order to use it to maximum effect. Failing to do so means surrendering the timing and terms of what happens next to others, whether in Washington or Moscow.

Read more: [https://inews.co.uk/opinion/in-trumps-game-of-cards-ukraine-still-has-an-ace-to-play-3589757](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/in-trumps-game-of-cards-ukraine-still-has-an-ace-to-play-3589757)