Features

Trump and Putin on Ukraine: Secrets of the Deal

Published

11 months ago

2025/02/23

by Nilantha Ilangamuwa

Ukrainian President Zelensky’s colossal misstep in dealing with President Donald Trump could ultimately become one of the most profound blunders in recent history. To Trump, Zelensky is merely a “modestly successful comedian” and a “dictator.” However, it is a misguided assumption to believe that Russia will inevitably win this war, yet the divisions within Ukraine’s ranks are deepening, fuelled by ambitions that go beyond territorial conquest, pushed by Western powers steering Ukraine down an uncertain path.

It is not far-fetched to suggest that Zelensky’s days are numbered. A professional comedian skilled in turning tragedy into spectacle, as Marx famously said of history, he now finds himself caught in a high-stakes game where the true motivations remain obscured. One cannot forget that Donald Trump is no traditional dictator, nor a political liberal. At his core, he is a deal maker—driven by the pursuit of fame and profit. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu knows this; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to understand it, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is exploiting it. Chinese President Xi has structured it, while the rest of the leaders, particularly in Europe, are struggling to grasp it.

To grasp Trump’s approach to global affairs, one must abandon the reductive comparisons to tyrants like Stalin, Hitler, or Mussolini. Trump operates in a different sphere entirely, one that requires a certain mental flexibility to understand. He is not concerned with maintaining power for the sake of ideology or historical legacy; his concern is to make deals that secure material gain. The world should not mistake him for a man of irrational impulses, for Trump understands the machinery of influence as few others do. His transactional nature is evidenced in his interactions with foreign powers, where his primary concern is leverage, not political principles.

A prime example of this comes from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the White House. When an Indian journalist posed a question regarding India’s role in countering China, Trump’s response was strikingly unconventional. Rather than fall into the trap of aligning with India against China, Trump instead spoke of bringing China, Russia, and India together for mutual benefit. This pragmatic approach—concerned not with antagonizing one party but rather with securing cooperation from all sides—highlights the difference between Trump’s brand of leadership and that of conventional political figures who cling to rigid ideologies.

Trump’s worldview is not shaped by traditional political theories; his primary motivation lies in extracting profit from every situation. In this sense, he is a modern-day merchant who sees international relations not as a matter of diplomacy, but as an opportunity for lucrative transactions. This is, after all, a man who, in his bestselling book The Art of the Deal (1987), writes, “Sometimes by losing a battle, you find a new way to win the war.” This is not the rhetoric of a conventional politician; it is the language of a businessman who understands that in the grand game of power, winning often means losing a few battles along the way.

Trump was notorious for cultivating a media presence that exaggerated his wealth and success, as evidenced by the time he manipulated Forbes magazine into listing him as one of the wealthiest individuals, despite his financial situation not reflecting the claim. This is the same man who views international politics through the lens of economic opportunity, where every diplomatic interaction is an avenue for profit.

History is replete with similar deals between empires and powerful states—arrangements that were often secretive, strategic, and ultimately aimed at controlling the flow of resources and wealth. Take, for instance, the Treaty of Kadesh in 1259 BCE, a diplomatic agreement between Egypt and the Hittite Empire. While the public version of the treaty touted peace and mutual cooperation, hidden elements revealed that both empires carved up regions like Syria for their benefit, securing timber from the cedars of Lebanon and ensuring access to crucial trade routes. These covert arrangements were not only about peace—they were about ensuring control over vital natural resources. The very fabric of ancient geopolitics was woven from such secretive deals, where military confrontations were often avoided in favour of securing wealth through backdoor agreements.

In the late 19th century, European powers engaged in secretive deals to partition Africa and exploit its resources. The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 is the most notorious example, where the European powers divided Africa without regard for its indigenous populations. This was not merely an exercise in territorial expansion; it was a calculated effort to control Africa’s mineral-rich regions—such as the Congo, with its vast deposits of rubber, ivory, and later, uranium and cobalt. These resources were not just crucial to the European economies—they were the lifeblood of the empires’ military and industrial prowess. It is a tragic irony that while European powers publicly championed the benefits of their imperial ventures, the truth behind their actions was one of resource exploitation, where local populations were trampled in the pursuit of wealth.

East Timor, in the late 20th century, is one of the blunt examples. Following the region’s independence from Portugal in 1975, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia, with the tacit approval of Western powers, particularly Australia and the United States. While these nations publicly condemned Indonesia’s actions, they secretly supported its annexation in exchange for access to the Timor Sea’s oil and gas reserves. The 1989 Timor Gap Treaty between Australia and Indonesia was signed behind closed doors, securing Australia’s share of East Timor’s undersea resources despite the ongoing political turmoil. The exposure of these secret dealings years later revealed how, even in the post-colonial era, resource-rich nations were still subject to exploitation by global powers looking to maximize their profits at any cost.

Now, as we return to the present-day conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we see similar patterns at play. It is no secret that the United States has provided substantial military ‘aid’ to Ukraine, while making American defence industries the most profitable companies from the war, consequently indebting Ukraine with heavy financial burdens. Zelensky, in his pursuit of securing Ukraine’s future, has unwittingly become a puppet of Western interests, never considering the long-term consequences for his country.

Meanwhile, Russia, with its military operations focused on specific regions rich in minerals, continues to tighten its grip on strategic areas like Donetsk and Luhansk, which are abundant in coal, graphite, and other vital resources. As of February 2025, Russia controls approximately 18.6% of Ukrainian territory, including these resource-rich regions. It is no coincidence that these areas, crucial for energy production and manufacturing, are the focal point of Russia’s military campaign.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during his first visit to Europe recently, declared that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is unrealistic, and the Trump administration does not view NATO membership for Kyiv as a solution. On the other hand, President Putin, with his characteristic bluntness, recently remarked that had the 2020 U.S. elections not been ‘stolen,’ Donald Trump would have won, and the war in Ukraine would never have begun. This is realpolitik in action. Putin knows how to play the game, not just with Trump, but with any leader, as Angela Merkel aptly noted. Therefore, Trump and Putin could sign a secret deal on Ukrainian minerals, marking a crucial point in the history.

What is particularly striking is the growing divide between the political circles in Ukraine. Zelensky’s leadership is increasingly seen as compromised, with many wondering if his time is up. Trump, whose sharp criticisms of Zelensky have become more pointed, continues to offer a path to deal with the mineral wealth of Ukraine—one that may well align more with Russia’s interests than those of the West.

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Features

Maduro abduction marks dangerous aggravation of ‘world disorder’

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Venezuelan President Maduro being taken to a court in New York

The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces on January 3rd and his coercive conveying to the US to stand trial over a number of allegations leveled against him by the Trump administration marks a dangerous degeneration of prevailing ‘world disorder’. While some cardinal principles in International Law have been blatantly violated by the US in the course of the operation the fallout for the world from the exceptionally sensational VVIP abduction could be grave.

Although controversial US military interventions the world over are not ‘news’ any longer, the abduction and hustling away of a head of government, seen as an enemy of the US, to stand trial on the latter soil amounts to a heavy-handed and arrogant rejection of the foundational principles of international law and order. It would seem, for instance, that the concept of national sovereignty is no longer applicable to the way in which the world’s foremost powers relate to the rest of the international community. Might is indeed right for the likes of the US and the Trump administration in particular is adamant in driving this point home to the world.

Chief spokesmen for the Trump administration have been at pains to point out that the abduction is not at variance with national security related provisions of the US Constitution. These provisions apparently bestow on the US President wide powers to protect US security and stability through courses of action that are seen as essential to further these ends but the fact is that International Law has been brazenly violated in the process in the Venezuelan case.

To be sure, this is not the first occasion on which a head of government has been abducted by US special forces in post-World War Two times and made to stand trial in the US, since such a development occurred in Panama in 1989, but the consequences for the world could be doubly grave as a result of such actions, considering the mounting ‘disorder’ confronting the world community.

Those sections opposed to the Maduro abduction in the US would do well to from now on seek ways of reconciling national security-related provisions in the US Constitution with the country’s wider international commitment to uphold international peace and law and order. No ambiguities could be permitted on this score.

While the arbitrary military action undertaken by the US to further its narrow interests at whatever cost calls for criticism, it would be only fair to point out that the US is not the only big power which has thus dangerously eroded the authority of International Law in recent times. Russia, for example, did just that when it violated the sovereignty of Ukraine by invading it two or more years ago on some nebulous, unconvincing grounds. Consequently, the Ukraine crisis too poses a grave threat to international peace.

It is relevant to mention in this connection that authoritarian rulers who hope to rule their countries in perpetuity as it were, usually end up, sooner rather than later, being a blight on their people. This is on account of the fact that they prove a major obstacle to the implementation of the democratic process which alone holds out the promise of the prgressive empowerment of the people, whereas authoritarian rulers prefer to rule with an iron fist with a fixation about self-empowerment.

Nevertheless, regime-change, wherever it may occur, is a matter for the public concerned. In a functional democracy, it is the people, and the people only, who ‘make or break’ governments. From this viewpoint, Russia and Venezuela are most lacking. But externally induced, militarily mediated change is a gross abnormality in the world or democracy, which deserves decrying.

By way of damage control, the US could take the initiative to ensure that the democratic process, read as the full empowerment of ordinary people, takes hold in Venezuela. In this manner the US could help in stemming some of the destructive fallout from its abduction operation. Any attempts by the US to take possession of the national wealth of Venezuela at this juncture are bound to earn for it the condemnation of democratic opinion the world over.

Likewise, the US needs to exert all its influence to ensure that the rights of ordinary Ukrainians are protected. It will need to ensure this while exploring ways of stopping further incursions into Ukrainian territory by Russia’s invading forces. It will need to do this in collaboration with the EU which is putting its best foot forward to end the Ukraine blood-letting.

Meanwhile, the repercussions that the Maduro abduction could have on the global South would need to be watched with some concern by the international community. Here too the EU could prove a positive influence since it is doubtful whether the UN would be enabled by the big powers to carry out the responsibilities that devolve on it with the required effectiveness.

What needs to be specifically watched is the ‘copycat effect’ that could manifest among those less democratically inclined Southern rulers who would be inspired by the Trump administration to take the law into their hands, so to speak, and act with callous disregard for the sovereign rights of their smaller and more vulnerable neighbours.

Democratic opinion the world over would need to think of systems of checks and balances that could contain such power abuse by Southern autocratic rulers in particular. The UN and democracy-supportive organizations, such as the EU, could prove suitable partners in these efforts.

All in all it is international lawlessness that needs managing effectively from now on. If President Trump carries out his threat to over-run other countries as well in the manner in which he ran rough-shod over Venezuela, there is unlikely to remain even a semblance of international order, considering that anarchy would be receiving a strong fillip from the US, ‘The World’s Mightiest Democracy’.

What is also of note is that identity politics in particularly the South would be unprecedentedly energized. The narrative that ‘the Great Satan’ is running amok would win considerable validity among the theocracies of the Middle East and set the stage for a resurgence of religious fanaticism and invigorated armed resistance to the US. The Trump administration needs to stop in its tracks and weigh the pros and cons of its current foreign policy initiatives.

Features

Pure Christmas magic and joy at British School

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Students of The British High School in Colombo in action at the fashion show

The British School in Colombo (BSC) hosted its Annual Christmas Carnival 2025, ‘Gingerbread Wonderland’, which was a huge success, with the students themseles in the spotlight, managing stalls and volunteering.

The event, organised by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), featured a variety of activities, including: Games and rides for all ages, Food stalls offering delicious treats, Drinks and refreshments, Trade booths showcasing local products, and Live music and entertainment.

The carnival was held at the school premises, providing a fun and festive atmosphere for students, parents, and the community to enjoy.

The halls of the BSC were filled with pure Christmas magic and joy with the students and the staff putting on a tremendous display.

Among the highlights was the dazzling fashion show with the students doing the needful, and they were very impressive.

The students themselves were eagerly looking forward to displaying their modelling technique and, I’m told, they enjoyed the moment they had to step on the ramp.

The event supported communities affected by the recent floods, with surplus proceeds going to flood-relief efforts.

Features

Glowing younger looking skin

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hi! This week I’m giving you some beauty tips so that you could look forward to enjoying 2026 with a glowing younger looking skin.

Face wash for natural beauty

* Avocado:

Take the pulp, make a paste of it and apply on your face. Leave it on for five minutes and then wash it with normal water.

* Cucumber:

Just rub some cucumber slices on your face for 02-03 minutes to cleanse the oil naturally. Wash off with plain water.

* Buttermilk:

Apply all over your face and leave it to dry, then wash it with normal water (works for mixed to oily skin).

Face scrub for natural beauty

Take 01-02 strawberries, 02 pieces of kiwis or 02 cubes of watermelons. Mash any single fruit and apply on your face. Then massage or scrub it slowly for at least 3-5 minutes in circular motions. Then wash it thoroughly with normal or cold water. You can make use of different fruits during different seasons, and see what suits you best! Follow with a natural face mask.

Face Masks

* Papaya and Honey:

Take two pieces of papaya (peeled) and mash them to make a paste. Apply evenly on your face and leave it for 30 minutes and then wash it with cold water.

Papaya is just not a fruit but one of the best natural remedies for good health and glowing younger looking skin. It also helps in reducing pimples and scars. You can also add honey (optional) to the mixture which helps massage and makes your skin glow.

* Banana:

Put a few slices of banana, 01 teaspoon of honey (optional), in a bowl, and mash them nicely. Apply on your face, and massage it gently all over the face for at least 05 minutes. Then wash it off with normal water. For an instant glow on your face, this facemask is a great idea to try!

* Carrot:

Make a paste using 01 carrot (steamed) by mixing it with milk or honey and apply on your face and neck evenly. Let it dry for 15-20 minutes and then wash it with cold water. Carrots work really well for your skin as they have many vitamins and minerals, which give instant shine and younger-looking skin.