Because the US president Donald Trump decided to rename the country's Department of Defense to the Department of War, it is worth changing the name of the White House to"Waffle House" to show the American leader's constant hesitation about taking real action to deter Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's aggression against Ukraine, and now Poland after the recent UAV invasion. This opinion was expressed by the columnist The New York Times Thomas L. Friedman.

"I like Trump's statement: 'What is this Russian violation of Polish airspace with drones?' Our president sounds like a teenage blogger commenting on some movie star who did something embarrassing in public, not like the leader of the free world. If Putin had a sense of humor, he would write on Truth Social: 'Donald, what is this Department of War?'" the expert emphasized.

Friedman analyzed Trump's demand that all European countries completely stop buying Russian oil, and that NATO countries impose tariffs of 50 to 100% on China, after which he will impose significant economic sanctions on Russia. According to the columnist, a serious president would not publish such demands on social media, but would work with his team on the phone.

"I have always avoided more conspiratorial explanations for Trump's behavior. I do not believe that the US president is some kind of Putin agent (although he certainly knows how to play such a role on television). I believe that Trump is simply different from all American presidents since World War II - and not in a good way," Friedman added.

According to the journalist, first of all, Trump does not share the fundamental belief that NATO is the greatest coalition in history, expanding and protecting zones of free people, free markets, and the rule of law.

"Another explanation is that there is no real policy-making process in this administration. There is no indication that any of Trump's political statements posted on social media are pre-screened by State Department or CIA experts, there is no indication that anything is coordinated with the Senate or House foreign affairs committees. Have you noticed the blank look on Secretary of State Marco Rubio's face when he is next to Trump? It seems like the look of a person trying to hide his surprise," the expert emphasized.

Friedman explained that if countries do not flatter Trump and have a trade surplus with the US, like India, for example, then their democratic system may not save them from the US president's tariffs.

"But if you flatter him, as Putin does, and offer him investment opportunities, as Putin also does, then Trump may not impose any new tariffs on you, even if, like Russia, your economy has a trade surplus with America," the columnist emphasizes.

Trump also wrote again on Truth Social over the weekend:

"This is not a TRUMP WAR. This is a Biden-Zelensky WAR."

As the author of the material says, it should be noted that the American leader does not say that this is Putin's war - the man who actually started it.

"Sorry, Mr. President. Now it's YOUR war. Because only you have the ability to provide Ukraine with the military resources to make Putin understand that time is not on his side, that he will be forced to agree to a deal. Unfortunately, this is a deal that will allow the Russian president to keep some of the territory in eastern Ukraine that he seized by force, but the condition for this is that Putin must accept Western security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at ensuring that no Russian leader ever dares to invade again, as well as Ukraine's membership in the European Union," Friedman said.

According to the journalist, if Trump turns his back on Ukraine and allows Russia to seize it, he can write anything he wants on his social network, but his name will be mentioned on a par with Neville Chamberlain (known as the main leader of Hitler's appeasement policy, led Great Britain in the first months of World War II - UNIAN), which is"fair."

The end of the war in Ukraine - predictions of politicians

Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz responded that it would happen if The war will end on Putin's terms. . According to him, this will only encourage the Russian dictator to"look for his next target."

"Putin has been testing the limits for a long time. He sabotages, spies, kills, tries to create danger," Merz noted.

At the same time, he emphasized that Germany would not allow such a scenario.

In turn, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries had agreed to send to fund peacekeepers in Ukraine.

"Today, 26 countries have formally committed to sending either contingent forces to Ukraine, or to contributing certain means to support this coalition, to ensure Ukraine's security at sea or in the sky. These forces are not to wage war against Russia, but to guarantee peace. And also to send a strategic signal to prevent the resumption of fighting," the French leader said.