During last week’s important meetings in Washington, D.C., two unusual aspects of the political atmosphere stood out—something rarely seen before in the US. One noticeable thing was the strong loyalty among Republicans, especially those in the new administration, toward Trump. They supported him personally and stood by everything he said. This loyalty is a mix of deep commitment and fear of even slightly going off track. It is extremely strong, far beyond anything seen since the Reagan era.
The second thing is a strong belief among these same people that the U.S. government has become too big, corrupt, and wasteful. They think only major changes can fix it. They believe that as budgets are cut, the huge amount of waste will become clear, and they see the Biden administration as the biggest culprit in letting this happen.
This is why some government agencies are being shut down or put on hold, and why Elon Musk is being given free rein. Many also strongly believe that aid to Ukraine is part of the same reckless and corrupt spending under Biden, with little accountability.
Once you realize how strong this loyalty has become—almost like obedience—and how deeply this belief is held, it becomes clear why the meeting with Zelensky went the way it did. Many people close to the administration openly show this level of dedication.
Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, live in a world where no one challenges them or disagrees with them. They view Ukraine mainly as an example of excessive government spending rather than as a nation fighting for its freedom and democracy.
When Zelensky walked into the Oval Office, he faced a difficult situation. JD Vance put him in a tough position—he could either publicly show submission to Trump or defend his country’s needs. Zelensky, a brave leader who stayed in Ukraine during the war despite the danger, survived many attempts on his life, and led his people with great determination, chose to speak up and argue his case. It was a natural choice for him, but politically, it was a mistake. The situation was set up like a trap, and it closed on him.
After Zelensky was asked to leave the White House, and with the U.S. recently supporting Russia at the UN, a serious problem has emerged. This has created the biggest conflict among Western countries since World War II, shaking the unity of nations that have worked together for decades.
In the past week, Sir Keir Starmer has managed the situation well. He made the right decision by promising to increase defense spending, handled his meeting in Washington carefully, and showed strong support for Zelensky while also keeping communication open with Trump.
On Sunday, March 2nd, he took a good step by hosting European leaders. However, the decision not to invite the Baltic leaders (the leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), who strongly support him, was a strange mistake. Still, the prime minister seems to have gained confidence—maybe even a clear purpose.
His recent success now puts a huge responsibility on him. He needs to create a peace plan that Ukraine (Kyiv) will accept, but at the same time, it must not be quickly rejected by the U.S. (Washington).
Even though it is a big challenge, Starmer and his team should also see this as a chance to make a difference. Over the past week, he has shown a clear and focused approach that he previously struggled to achieve.
Reducing overseas aid is certainly a difficult and unfortunate decision, but it also shows that the government is willing to make tough choices when needed. If they continue to take responsible and difficult decisions for the country’s benefit, it could help the government have a clear purpose, make politics more honest, and give people more trust and hope in democracy.
This is a great opportunity for Europe to take action and break free from its slow decline. For today’s leaders, this is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a real difference—an opportunity that won’t come again.
(The author of this article is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
