Ex-NATO Chief Gives Zelensky Some Pointed Advice As Trump Slams ‘Crazy’ Putin
Former NATO commander James Stavridis advised Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky to “manage” his “Trump account” and “applaud” President Donald Trump’s recent jab at “crazy” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The president lamented his past “good relationship” with the Russian leader to brand him “absolutely crazy” in a striking jab on Sunday, which followed a wave of brutal Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
In an interview with CNN, Stavridis was vocal in praising Trump’s denouncement.
“Hallelujah, Amen,” he told host Sarah Sidner. “Welcome to team West, welcome to team democracy.”
The admiral continued: “Compared to a couple of months ago, when Zelenskyy was literally kicked out of the Oval Office, and there were, I think, quite serious threats to simply cut off intelligence permanently. We had done so on a temporary basis. That was really rock bottom. So compared to then, I think we’re in a much better place.”
He added: “Here’s my advice to President Zelenskyy: Manage your Trump account carefully right now. This is not the time to be critical, to say, you know, why haven’t we heard more from the United States? And frankly, hearing Donald Trump call Putin absolutely crazy is a great moment for Ukraine. What I would be telling President Zelensky is: stand up and applaud when you finally get the president of the United States to say what you need him to say and to be the leader of the band of the West.”
The admiral, who served as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander from 2009 to 2013, also advised the Trump administration to act decisively by leveraging one of three major pressure points on Moscow: unlocking the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, supplying long-range missiles to Kyiv, or threatening secondary sanctions on any country still doing business with Russia.
“President Trump sounds like he’s ready to use it,” Stavridis added. “Let’s hope they go forward with that spirit on Memorial Day.”
Watch above via CNN.
