At this point, it seems like considering yourself a "US ally" is a strategic blunder. There's no reason to expect any sort of loyalty based on shared interests

At this point, it seems like considering yourself a "US ally" is a strategic blunder. There's no reason to expect any sort of loyalty based on shared interests or collective security; I don't even think it's purely transaction at this point, because the entire pretense of the meeting with Zelensky was a demand for an absolutely absurd deal on mineral rights[0]. US foreign policy seems to be just as much about ego as anything else, and if you're not sufficiently deferential, it doesn't matter what you bring to the table. [0]: $500 billion in minerals, which is around seven times the value of all of the aid given to Ukraine so far: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/20/stop-criticising-trump-and-sign-500bn-mineral-deal-us-official-advises-kyiv https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/20/stop-criticisi...