When Offense is Defined as Defense—Kursk Version
CounterPunchSEP 2024
US Election Issue: Ukraine
Above: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, as leaders from all member NATO states gather for the 75th NATO Summit on July 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Bonnie Cash/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Trump and JD Vance's push to reduce American influence in Europe, prioritizing a quick agreement over ensuring sustainable peace, is but one of many foreign policy moves that will have severe global ramifications. American isolationism will only embolden Putin and other right-wing populists to further undermine democracy. The GOP cannot be trusted to safeguard Ukraine's territorial integrity or US interests in Europe.
Republican narrative
Trump and the GOP are the victims of a coordinated media attack, with any attempts to question the financial burden on American taxpayers for Ukraine dismissed as pro-Kremlin propaganda by White House allies. In true autocratic fashion, the liberal left continues to censor and defame all those advocating for peace through an alternative, America-first solution. It's time to end endless wars and prioritize American interests.
Pro-establishment narrative
Putin's invasion of Ukraine was an egregious violation of international law, and supporting Ukraine against this unprovoked Russian aggression is both a moral obligation and a geostrategic necessity. The US and Europe cannot afford to allow Russia to dominate Ukraine or undermine its sovereignty. This war is about more than just preserving Ukrainian democracy — it's about the future of a strong and united Europe.
Establishment-critical narrative
The West provoked the invasion by continuously ignoring Russia's legitimate security concerns and breaking their promise not to expand NATO eastwards. Western political elites are now trying to rewrite history and compel the Ukrainian people to continue fighting an unwinnable war. The US, EU, and NATO's refusal to pursue peace and end their proxy war against a weakened Moscow shows that Ukraine is nothing but a sacrificial pawn in their imperial pursuits.