Compromise - компромисс

Compromise is a basic negotiation process in which both parties give up something that they want in order to get something else they want more. There is a pie to be divided up, and whatever one side gets, the other side loses. Each side must be willing to make concessions in order to achieve a resolution. By definition both sides need to be involved. A negotiater or mediator might well help the process, but an agreement cannot be achieved if one of the parties is not present.

It seems self evident to me. So why isn't it self evident to Trump & his acolytes? 

I have to wonder why the USA are behaving in such a transactional & confrontational way, which is certain to offend Ukraine & Europe, who are directly affected by the war between Russia & Ukraine. Historically war always ends in negotiation & compromise. At some point the pointless death & destruction has to end. 

The Spanish Reconquista lasted 781 years & ended in 1492. The UK's longest is a hypothetical state of war between the Netherlands and the Scilly Isles which lasted 335 years without a single shot being fired. But these are unusual.  Currently Myanmar has been at war for almost 80 years. 

The senior US delegation headed by Marco Rubio sat at a table for almost 5 hours with the Russian delegation headed by Sergey Lavrov. No other interested parties were invited. The US has sanctions in place against Lavrov, (for his part in a "brutal war of choice") & Putin, their assets have been frozen during the Ukraine war.

 

Does Trump really see no reason why this seems odd to more rational people? The only reasons I can see for Trumps behaviour are twofold;-

• He wants the "glory" of supposedly ending the war & desires a Nobel Peace Prize. God forbid he gets it, but Obama got one in 2009...... 
• He know that reconstruction after wars generates huge profit for the countries & businesses that do the work. He wants a slice of that. He is one of the many, very wealthy, Americans for whom enough money is never enough.

Trump is the arch appeaser & capitulator. How dare he ask Ukraine for mineral rights for critical minerals including aluminum, gallium and titanium as "payment" for America's support in the war. The Ukrainians must win. If they don't there are repercussions that simply don't bear thinking about. Repercussions that will affect America too. But Trump only sees a deal, money & power. He isn't capable of rational thought about world consequences. 

If it weren't all so appalling it would be funny.