Tim Downing

Donald Trump hasn’t looked this happy since the last time he was out partying with Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump had our BRAVE AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON THEIR KNEES to roll out the RED CARPET for his best friend VLAD! DISGUSTING.

Former US Ambassador to Russia: Putin doesn't look at all of this stuff as a sign of strength. He looks at it as a sign of weakness. He had to do absolutely nothing to get this meeting. Putin has gained everything and given nothing in return

@Uber poor service in getting an item I left on uber returned, it has now been 24 hrs, surely the driver can make a quick call to let me know when to expect it. I’ve offered to find him pay more everything to help him but still no contact I’ve spoken to your help desk loads

Heartbreaking to see White House envoy @SteveWitkoff parroting Kremlin-friendly guff while Ukrainians fight for freedom. Since when did the land of the free do PR for Putin? The America we knew stood by its allies - not shoulder to shoulder with tyrants. independent.co.uk/news/world/eur…

My monologue on @TimesRadio 1pm today: The man who promised to stop the Ukraine-Russian war on Day One of taking power has instead on Day 42 decided to stop all further US military aid to Ukraine. The war, of course, continues to drag on.  President Trump says his arms embargo will only be lifted when he’s ascertained that President Zelensky is ‘serious’ about peace.  Exactly what he has to do to convince Trump is not clear. But I think we can be sure Trump will want it to involve a lot of grovelling and kissing of the ring.  Either that — implies the White House — or Zelensky should make way for a Ukrainian leader who IS prepared to bend the knee.  What happens next is anybody’s guess — it always is in Trump World. But amid the chaos and confusion it’s important not to lose sight of some pretty fundamental facts.  First, this is the worst crisis in the long and successful history of NATO and the Atlantic Alliance. It might not survive.  A pact which has kept us safe and secure for as long as most of us can remember is crumbling, for no good reason other than the capricious whims of a man in the Oval Office.  Second, it is being demolished on a litany of falsehoods. Trump says America has given Ukraine $350 billion in military, financial and humanitarian aid — with nothing to show for it.  Wrong. America has spent $120 billion. And the dividend has been to thwart Russia from taking all of Ukraine then going on to threaten the rest of Eastern Europe, consisting of America’s NATO allies.  Trump says America has given Ukraine a lot more than Europe. Wrong. European aid combined totals $138 billion, almost $20 billion more than the US.  Trump claims European aid is mainly in loans and it will be repaid one day whereas American aid is in grants. Wrong. The bulk of European aid, like American aid, is in grants.  Thus is NATO in danger of being dismantled on a tissue of lies.  But it gets worse. It’s increasingly hard to avoid the conclusion that Trump is a better friend of Russia than he is of NATO or Ukraine. That when it comes to a choice — Russia or NATO — Trump chooses Russia.  It is hard to credit that it can be so. Yet Trump is cutting off arms to Ukraine while Russia’s war machine continues unhindered and Iran, North Korea and China ramp up their support. The Trump administration is even preparing plans to drop sanctions on Russia before a peace deal is struck, adding to the concessions Trump has already indicated he’ll make to the Kremlin in advance of any talks. So much for his ‘Art of the Deal.’ As Trump tries to discombobulate us with all manner of stuff and nonsense it’s worth holding on to some other fundamentals.  There is an invader — Russia —  and a victim — Ukraine. There is a democracy — Ukraine — and a dictatorship — Russia.  There is a country who wants to be a European democracy and a Western market economy — Ukraine — and another that hates democracy, freedom and everything else the West stands for — Russia.  That we have a US president who sides with the invader and penalises the victim is proof that our world has turned upside down.  The US arms embargo will not undermine Ukraine’s war effort immediately. But it will take its toll as we head into summer.  Europe must do all it can to fill the gaps, as it’s already starting to do. But it cannot replace everything America is now denying.  Of course Trump may yet pull back from the brink. He wants that mineral rights deal with Ukraine. Zelensky may be prepared to abase himself. Things would be back on track. Sort of.  But not really. For what lunacy might Trump get up to next in pursuit of his own self-interest and ego? What hope of the Atlantic Alliance when its head is a better friend of Russia than Europe?  Whatever happens Europe must prepare for a future without America. It was already starting to realise that before Trump pulled the rug from under Ukraine. It can now be in no doubt — and must rearm accordingly.

Starmer has done the right thing today. We will need to go further, and bring other countries with us, but he has put the UK into a genuine position of leadership in support of #Ukraine. I’ll criticise when he gets things wrong, but today he’s done the right thing.

King Charles puts the finishing touches to his letter...

An excellent statement on Ukraine by Sir Kier Starmer. He is to be congratulated on hosting this event and getting the tone and action points just right. @Keir_Starmer @10DowningStreet

This is no way to treat the leader of a country being pummelled by Russia. It’s quite upsetting. Trump and Vance gang up on Zelensky. No way for leaders to behave. Trying to intimidate Zelensky. Vance attacks Z then accuses him of disrespect because he answers back.

“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” Churchill

After Trump’s disgraceful bullying of Zelensky today, aided and abetted by sidekick Vance, why would we want Trump to pay a state visit to the UK? Can the invitation letter be withdrawn?

Winston Churchill in the White House… Not wearing a suit because he is at war

Trump and Vance have declared themselves to be on Russia's side in the Russo-Ukraine war.  This is a catastrophic mistake for America's national security.  And let's be clear:  Trump and Vance now personally own that policy.  It is not the view of a majority of Americans of either or no political party.

BREAKING: In a stunning moment, Sen. Van Hollen has scathing criticism on Trump's Ukraine aid conditions, "Can you imagine FDR saying to Churchill, 'we're not going to continue to help you until you turn over half of your coal and mineral reserves.'"

Here are some genuine fake news that the Whitehouse now spouts: 1. We have given over double what Europe has to Ukraine. ❌ In fact Europe has given more. 1/3

“You should never have started it” @potus tells the UKRAINIANS! Words spoken at Mar-a-Lago, but sounding like they were written in Moscow

Ukrainian Soldier in a letter to Americans: “America, I have a question for you. You chose Trump as your president. Today, he called the world’s number one terrorist—not for justice, but to negotiate, treating him like a legitimate leader. How do you feel about that? Would you accept a president calling Bin Laden after 9/11? Sitting down with ISIS? Because that’s exactly what just happened. I’ve buried brothers because of Putin, seen civilians executed, children crushed, families wiped out. And yet, Trump—your leader—gave that monster a seat at the table. For three years, Ukraine has fought for survival on the front line of freedom. Americans have stood with us, and I’m grateful. But now, your president stands with our enemy. So I ask again—America, how do you feel about that?

Trump slams President Zelensky for demanding a seat at peace negotiations over his own country’s future: “You’ve been there for three years. You should’ve ended it in three years. You should have never started it.” (Fact check: Russia started the war against Ukraine.)

@MatthewHolmes51 congratulations on winning todays @LincolnGrandPri co sponsored by @PygottandCrone thank you for the photo and chat