Pax Trumpiana

Imagine a gang of robbers entering a bank, emptying the vault, and to start things off, shooting a few employees and customers while taking the rest hostage. The police chief arrives on the scene and, speaking through a megaphone, first scolds the hostages for provoking the bloodshed, then negotiates with the robbers to release the captives. In exchange, the robbers are allowed to keep the loot — and even take a selfie with the police chief. At the press conference, the chief claims full credit for the peaceful resolution of the crisis and then demands that the freed hostages and the families of those killed pay half their income to the police union as compensation for the rescue. He celebrates his success at the estate of the gang leader — on May 9th in Moscow.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the war in Ukraine, started by Russia’s aggression, will — after three, or rather ten years — sooner or later end in some kind of truce. After all the destruction and loss of life, the first instinctive reaction is, understandably, relief. War is evil. People die in war. War must end as soon as possible. This reaction is legitimate and human, regardless of the circumstances under which the truce is likely to occur.

On the other hand, it is equally legitimate — and necessary — to talk about these circumstances, especially the consequences, not only for Ukraine but also for Europe, the world, and Slovenia, which, though often behaving as if we’re in a parallel universe, is part of this Europe and this world.

First, we should be concerned that, by all accounts, the agreement will hand victory to the aggressor. This is not just a moral issue — it’s a security risk. The aggressor has made clear that their imperial ambitions do not stop at the current front line, nor even at the outer borders of the current victim, but go well beyond.

Second, this will not be a truce Ukraine, as the victim of Russian aggression, wanted or deserved after three years of bloody war and resistance. Still, that fact does not give us the right to dispute the agreement if Ukraine accepts it — even under duress, after the U.S., under Trump’s orders, turned its back on them overnight. Those unhappy with the outcome, yet unwilling or unable to help Ukraine defend its freedom and territorial integrity, have no right to sit in armchairs cheering for continued bloodshed.

Third, even if such an outcome is inevitable given the current balance of power, we should at least maintain enough dignity, rationality, and self-preservation to refrain from celebrating it as a great victory. Doing so increases the chances that the next act of aggression — possibly against us — will end with a similar “peace solution.”

Fourth, let’s take a closer look at the main architects of this “peace solution.” On one side is the re-elected U.S. president Donald Trump, who is now “solving” the war in Ukraine, emboldened by his “success” in ending the bloodbath in Gaza. I put quotes around these words not because I don’t welcome the end (for now) of the year-long bloody tragedy in Gaza, which followed a horrific attack on Israeli civilians. But we must ask: how did Trump bring about peace in the Middle East?

Many claim that unlike his elderly, worn-out predecessor, Trump managed to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu into negotiations. I think it was more a case of Netanyahu realizing he’d get far more favorable terms from Trump than from Biden. And he was right. Trump first lifted sanctions on violent Jewish settlers in the West Bank — who were hunting Palestinians like rabbits — and then proposed his “genius” idea of deporting Gaza’s residents and transforming the area into a seaside resort “for global citizens.” Netanyahu could hardly believe his ears.

To those who are outraged by this and still insist every truce in Ukraine must be supported, I’d point out: Trump’s “solution” also brings “peace” to Gaza. If there are no more Palestinians there, there’ll be no more conflict — only squabbles among “global citizens” over sunbeds and umbrellas on blood-soaked beaches.

As for what Trump has been doing to democracy in the U.S. since his inauguration — I won’t waste words. We’re all witnessing it in real-time. At breakneck speed, he is dismantling or subjugating every democratic, public, and state institution to enrich his billionaire backers and prevent Americans from being able to democratically remove him once they finally realize what they’ve elected. The ideological ammunition in this anti-democratic blitzkrieg is a reactionary agenda built on division and hatred. In the name of “freedom,” he viciously attacks political opponents, social groups, and critical voices.

His foreign policy consists of listing countries and territories he plans to dominate. In all of this, Trump is perfectly aligned with his new best friend forever, Vladimir Putin. Their alliance may be historically shocking, but it is ideologically completely logical.

The second architect of “peace” is Vladimir Putin — a dictator who rose to power through terrorist attacks on his own citizens, started several wars at home and abroad, ordered the aggression against Ukraine, and is responsible for Bucha, Mariupol, and the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. The Russian president has had at least thirteen journalists murdered — not to mention political opponents. Critical voices in Russia are gone. The lucky ones end up in prison. The others fall out of windows.

So these two comrades have now found a path to peace. Trump even demands that the victim of aggression — Ukraine — pay $500 billion in war reparations. This sum is much higher than the actual U.S. aid given to Ukraine, which was lower than Europe’s, and neither of which approaches the fortune Elon Musk — Trump’s adjutant — has amassed since Trump’s election. Trump “forced” Putin into the agreement by preemptively accepting all his conditions. Putin probably can’t believe his luck. He gets to keep the loot — and encouragement for future heists.

As for Europe — there's not much to say. Most leaders are still in the first stage of grief: denial. They’re clearly still hoping to wake up and find that this nightmare is over. Trump from one side, and Putin from the other, are pressing every button — undermining, both externally and internally, the last shreds of power and influence a weakened and divided Europe may still possess.

And in Slovenia?

We’re taking selfies with Trump and Musk, swooning over Melania’s hat, writing letters to the Nobel Peace Prize committee, and forming friendship groups with Russia. Trump is, in fact, the perfect ideological Frankenstein for “transcending ideological differences” in our deeply polarized public and political life. For some, his bromance with Putin is a plus — Putin still enjoys hero status among part of the ideologically and cognitively dissonant left. For others, Trump backs their cultural war against everything that civilized, democratic societies should stand for.

No more war in Ukraine! Hooray! Peace has arrived!

No one bothers to think about what awaits us in the brave new world that Donald and Vladimir are building.

"What a cute little country you have here on the sunny side of the Alps. It’d be a real shame if anything happened to it."

Maybe it’s time to reconsider reopening the uranium mine at Žirovski Vrh.

Second grade coal from Velenje mine and Melania won’t be enough in the transactional future, where only the strong decide.

It won’t be enough for freedom, security, and independence either — but maybe, just maybe, it’ll allow us to crawl on, in humble survival.

Hooray.