“Don’t be intimidated by Putin. We aren’t,” Charles Michel said in message for Republican front-runner.

European Council President Charles Michel snapped back at former United States President Donald Trump on Friday, telling him to “get the facts straight” after the Republican standard-bearer said Europe should do more to support Ukraine.

“Don’t be intimidated by Putin. We aren’t,” Michel told Trump on social media. “Let’s get the facts straight.”

Trump, a prominent NATO skeptic who could return to the White House after the presidential election in November, complained about Europe’s contributions to Kyiv Thursday night just as U.S. Congress edges closer to approving new military aid for Ukraine.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    2 months ago

    It must be fucking exhausting having to correct Trump’s lies all the time. But if people don’t do it, it’s even worse.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      It must be exhausting for the rest of the world to have to play this stupid fucking “don’t offend him too much” game with Trump because we might be stupid enough to elect the fucker again.

      On behalf of the the American electorate: I would like to apologize for our fucky electoral system that evidently makes it way easier for stupid, racist, fascist populists to win.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        I apologize on behalf of all Americans who don’t actively participate in politics. Things would be a lot less insane if more people participated at the local level.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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          2 months ago

          There’s just so little appreciation that people get for doing so that I think many people who try just give up. Unfortunately, politics is a slog in America at pretty much every level you want to participate in.

    • KidnappedByKitties@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Remember that every lie has consequences for all negotiations.

      That Trump regularly turns on a dime and trashes or backs out of any relationship that doesn’t immediately benefit him persinally, means everything from trade negotiations to maintaining army bases becomes much harder.

      And/or more easily manipulated as we saw with Saudis, China, and Russia.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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        2 months ago

        Every lie has so many consequences in so many ways when it’s someone that the media pays that much attention to. Which is why they need to be countered constantly. But it’s still an exhausting and thankless task.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    2 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    European Council President Charles Michel snapped back at former United States President Donald Trump on Friday, telling him to “get the facts straight” after the Republican standard-bearer said Europe should do more to support Ukraine.

    Trump, a prominent NATO skeptic who could return to the White House after the presidential election in November, complained about Europe’s contributions to Kyiv Thursday night just as U.S. Congress edges closer to approving new military aid for Ukraine.

    Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion … into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation!” Trump wrote in post on social media.

    Ukraine is struggling to resist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging the West to step up its support as Kyiv’s forces are running short of critical weapons and ammunition.

    Trump has for years accused European NATO allies of relying on Washington to provide protection against hostile foreign powers, and has badgered them to spend more on defense.

    The U.S. House is expected to move toward a vote this weekend on some $60 billion in aid for Ukraine that’s been held up for months by partisan debate in the Congress.


    The original article contains 325 words, the summary contains 201 words. Saved 38%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • Riddick3001@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      So just to illuminate the argument, Michel did not let the comment slide.

      “The numbers speak for themselves,” he clapped back. “EU contribution to Ukraine: €143 billion ($150 billion).”