"Let the fight continue for a bit" Trump's kids analogy highlights the discord
Trump's remark equating children illustrates the fundamental issue at hand
By: John D. Smith* Facebook * Twitter * Whatsapp * Email * Print * Copy Link *
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's trip to the White House aims to reignite President Joe Biden's support for Ukraine. He's going about it cleverly, but one of Trump's remarks shows why this could be challenging.
One of the goals of Scholz's visit was to bring President Donald Trump back on the side of Ukraine, particularly to persuade him to impose further sanctions on Russia. During their Oval Office meeting, Scholz explicitly asked Trump to increase pressure on Russia. Trump stated that he was open to it, but hinted that sanctions should also target both sides, including Ukraine. "It takes two to tango," Trump said.
Scholz assesses after Trump meeting: "I sensed it touched him"
Trump later explained what he meant. Sometimes, he said, you see two kids fighting like hell. He employed this analogy during his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before. "They despise each other, they're fighting in a park," Trump said. "You want to separate them, but they don't want to, ... sometimes it's better to just let them keep fighting for a bit and then step in," the U.S. president said. "You see that in hockey, in sports. Referees let them go for a few seconds."
Is Trump the referee or the parent?
It's statements like these that show Trump's perspective on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Not because he compares a bloody war between two nations to a children's brawl, but because he views himself as a referee, or a mediator, a self-appointed adult stepping in.
He demonstrated this demeanor during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where he grew increasingly exasperated as Zelenskyy requested security guarantees. Trump doesn't want to openly side with Ukraine. He wants to act as a neutral party, a referee.
However, Putin has decided to wage this war and seek a victory on the battlefield. He doesn't seem to care about the casualties, as long as he can replace them with new soldiers. When a U.S. president comes along and suggests making a deal, it's ignoring reality. Putin isn't interested in a deal, at least not while he believes he can win the war. This also explains the fruitless talks in Istanbul and phone calls with Trump.
Trump unaware of his interests at stake
Therefore, it's no surprise that Trump didn't want to commit to sanctions. He didn't reject them either. He didn't reject the sanctions package that the U.S. Senate wants. But he remained non-committal, leaving all options open. There's no sign of progress in joint U.S.-EU sanctions.
The avid spectator
In Trump's analogy of children fighting in a park or hockey players fighting, another attitude is revealed: that of the supposedly unconcerned spectator. Someone who separates fighting children shouldn't actually do it. They do it voluntarily, to avoid tears. That's how Trump seems to regard the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump's Threat Fits InTrump's threat to entirely withdraw from the conflict if Ukrainians and Russians can't reach an agreement mirrors this. It's like saying, "Then you figure it out yourselves." He doesn't seem to consider his own interests. He doesn't seem to grasp that a Europe vulnerable to Russian pressure would lose as an ally, and America would too.
Europeans see things differently
For Europeans, the situation looks completely different. For them, it’s about everything—security, freedom, prosperity. If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, it could simply continue its attacks. Armament production is running full tilt. This isn't about a skirmish in the park or a fight "across the ocean in Turkey," as Goethe once put it. It's about an attack on their doorstep, or even in their own countries, because Ukraine is also part of Europe. They don't need a mediator. They need weapons, ammunition, and protection.
Merz meets Trump - A meeting without friction
A German journalist accompanying Scholz asked him, somewhat surprised, if he agreed with the analogies of quarreling children. It's safe to assume Scholz doesn't. He responded skillfully, stating that he and Trump both find the war abhorrent and want to end it. Trump, he said, is a crucial figure in the world to end this war.
This should have flattered Trump, but it would have applied to any U.S. president. Scholz mentioned D-Day, the Allied landing in Normandy. He said the Americans could do something significant once more. He also spoke about the thousands of Ukrainian children Russia has abducted, appealing to the emotions of Americans watching at home.
These were apparently prepared remarks, and they were well-chosen. Trump listened intently. But as long as he views himself as a neutral party, the transatlantic unity against Russia remains elusive.
Sources: ntv.de
- Donald Trump
- Olaf Scholz
- USA
- Sanctions
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Vladimir Putin
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Enrichment Data:Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s analogy comparing the Russia-Ukraine war to “children fighting in the park” signals a shift toward a more passive U.S. stance on the conflict[1][2]. By suggesting that allowing fighting to continue for a period before intervening might be advantageous, Trump implies that neither Russia nor Ukraine is currently willing for peace, and that immediate intervention could be ineffective[1][2]. This approach contradicts earlier hopes for a swift resolution and suggests a willingness to tolerate ongoing hostilities before decisive U.S. action.
Implications for US-EU Relations
- Divergent Priorities: European leaders, exemplified by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have urged Trump to take a tougher stance against Russia and to use U.S. influence to bring the war to an end[1]. Trump’s reluctance to commit to new sanctions or a clear path to end the conflict highlights a potential disagreement between U.S. and European priorities.
- European Concerns: Ukrainian officials are alarmed by the prospect of U.S. disengagement, fearing it would service Russian interests and prolong the war[1]. European allies are likely to share similar reservations, as a lack of U.S. leadership could undermine collective security efforts in the region.
- Sanctions and Pressure: Trump’s vague response regarding sanctions—even floating the possibility of sanctioning both Russia and Ukraine—creates uncertainty for European partners, who generally favor targeted pressure on Russia[1].
- Strategic Messaging: Trump’s framing of the conflict as an intractable “fight” that requires time to resolve before intervention may be seen as justification for U.S. inaction. This could strain trust and cooperation between the U.S. and its European allies, who are looking for robust, predictable U.S. engagement.
Overall, Trump’s analogy and the accompanying policy signals suggest a U.S. posture that is less interventionist and more willing to tolerate ongoing hostilities, at least in the short term. This risks alienating European partners and weakening the united front against Russian aggression[1][2].
- The Commission, following the discussion on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is also proposing to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals for sanctions against both nations from the Council, given Trump's stance on the war being comparable to children fighting in a park, implying the need for both sides to exhaust their arguments before any intervention.
- Amidst the current political news, general-news outlets are reporting on war-and-conflicts, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is a significant topic of discussion, especially in relation to the recent analogy made by former President Donald Trump, comparing the conflict to children fighting in a park, which has drawn attention to the politics surrounding the imposed sanctions and the possible extension of the deadline for their submission.
