1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

The White House meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky represented a humiliating and shameful chapter in US foreign policy. Trump has transformed Ukraine from a sovereign nation defending its territorial integrity into a bargaining chip for exploiting mineral resources, reducing it to the status of a potential US colony. He callously dismissed evidence of Russian war crimes, demanding Zelensky "make a deal or we are out" while Ukrainians face bombardment. This transactional approach prioritizing corporate profits over human lives betrays American values of democracy and self-determination. Trump's fawning over Putin and disrespect towards Ukraine's leader undermine efforts to deter Russian aggression and uphold a rules-based world order. Surrendering to Putin's neo-imperial landgrab through an extractive minerals deal would irreparably tarnish the US legacy as a champion of freedom and human rights. Representatives in Congress must voice strong dissent against Trump's bullying of Zelensky. America must reject this disgraceful path of appeasement and neocolonialism, providing robust military and economic support until every inch of Ukraine is liberated.