Opinion | Meet the New Leader of the Free World

"A Chinese businessman puts Trump’s blunders in perspective. 'For us, Trump’s attack on Iran is less consequential than his threat to attack Greenland. When he did that, to America’s oldest allies, I knew that Europe would not follow America’s approach to China.'” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"Now, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is taking the next step, one that would have been unthinkable even as recently as 2024. By word and deed, he’s showing Europe and the world how the post-American free world can preserve its liberty and independence.: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington…It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped.” (Gift article) www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

”developments … show that European nations are working with shocking speed to free themselves from dependence on America.” The problem never was that Europeans cannot imagine European security without the US. The problem is that Americans can’t imagine that Europeans can do it.

"I don’t think Americans fully appreciate the extraordinary cost of Trump’s bluster. It should go without saying, but once you threaten to invade an allied country, you don’t just place the existence of the alliance in jeopardy; you raise the possibility of allies turning into mortal enemies"

“Zelensky has proposed a new defense arrangement for Europe if America keeps stepping back — an alliance between E.U. nations, plus non-E.U. powers like the United Kingdom, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine” #GiftArticle #Ukraine www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“Rapid change isn’t just occurring in #Ukraine. Other developments across the western alliance show that European nations are working with shocking speed to free themselves from dependence on America.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... #Gift #Pinks #BlueSky #ProudBlue

"In woord en daad laat hij [Zelensky] Europa en de wereld zien hoe de post-Amerikaanse vrije wereld haar vrijheid en onafhankelijkheid kan behouden." Door @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social

“I don’t think Americans fully appreciate the extraordinary cost of Trump’s bluster and blunders…can also trigger the kind of insecurity and scramble for power that contributed to the start of World War I.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Ein großartiges Stück von David French in der NYT über die epochalen Veränderungen durch den Rückzug Amerikas aus der Rolle als Ordnungsmacht des Westens (freebie). www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Many thanks to @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social for writing this piece, for having thought the issue through. It is one of the most important issues of our time. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"For the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defence of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It doesn’t beat in London or Paris or Berlin or Ottawa. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped." 🇺🇦

"If Kyiv appears to have given up on the United States — and it looks as though it is — it may be worse news for the United States than it is for Ukraine." A bit breathless but still. Hope Americans take note. You are 350 million. We Europeans are 600 million. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

‘…Ukraine has largely stabilized the frontline in eastern Ukraine, deepened its coalition, isolated Russia diplomatically and developed an indigenous arms industry that makes it less dependent on external support.’ www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“..for the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington[or] in London or Paris..It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

🎁🔗: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“It’s now clear that Trump’s second term will cause generational damage to American alliances. Given that Americans saw how Trump behaved in his first term and put him back in power anyway, it’s fair for Europeans to conclude that the rift isn’t with Trump alone…” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

REPUBLICANS made America less safe — for temporary political power — and we will never forgive them www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

I've been saying this.... Ukraine is the land of the free And home of the brave... www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"The moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It doesn’t beat in London or Paris or Berlin or Ottawa, either. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped" www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

I agree with this sentiment. Zelenskyy & Ukraine rose to the threat. Trump has diminished the US with our allies and our enemies. The damage Trump and his MAGA cult will be felt for generations. This is simply reality. #DV1 #ProudBlue #Voices4Victory #USDemocracy www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

🇺🇦 Zelensky becomes the new leader of the free world, — Opinion in NYT Ukraine is transforming from a “weaker player” into an independent force and an important partner for the West. #Ukraine #Russia #US #Zelensky #EU www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Today's gift link. "In February 2025, Donald Trump mocked Zelensky in the Oval Office. 'You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now,' Trump said. In April 2026, Ukraine has enough cards left that it’s sharing them." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

I can't read the article. But they seem to be saying the leader of the free world now is Zelensky, not Trump. Burn! That's going to hurt and leave a forever mark. Trump, post raging into the night. So sad. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Kinesisk forretningsmand: "For os er Trumps angreb på Iran mindre betydningsfuldt end hans trussel om at angribe Grønland," sagde han. "Da han gjorde det over for Amerikas ældste allierede, vidste jeg, at Europa ikke ville følge Amerikas tilgang til Kina." Jeg anbefaler denne artikel. 🎁

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

you cannot threaten the free world and lead it at the same time. No nation can match American might, but for the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It beats in Kyiv www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"Ukraine — a nation that was supposed to dissolve within days of a Russian invasion — has fought Russia to a stalemate, revolutionizing land warfare in the process. It has become an indispensable security partner in the western alliance, including in the war against Iran."

“For the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... 🇺🇦💙💛 #SlavaUkraini

"For the first time in my life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a brave people have picked up the torch America has dropped." Slava Ukraini! Shame on the USA! www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

This is exaggerated; Ukraine isn’t really capable of “leading” an alliance. But it is branching out its alliances in a way that models the middle-power variable geometry Mark Carney suggested to replace an unreliable America. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

I think we should send the Statue of Liberty to Ukraine. They deserve it. Far too many Americans have failed to uphold the values of our nation and taken democracy for granted. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is taking the next step, one that would have been unthinkable even as recently as 2024. By word and deed, he’s showing Europe and the world how the post-American free world can preserve its liberty and independence” Gift: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Can't argue with any of this www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Ukraine, a nation that was supposed to dissolve within days of a Russian invasion, has fought Russia to a stalemate, revolutionizing land warfare in the process. It has become an indispensable security partner in the western alliance, including in war against Iran. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"This might be difficult for many readers to grasp — given our nation’s longstanding military supremacy — but the largest and most battle-hardened land force in the western world may well be the Ukrainian Army." 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“It’s no longer accurate to think of Ukraine as a desperate underdog; it’s becoming an independent power. Even as it fights for its life against Russia, it’s reportedly reaching defense deals with the Gulf states and with the US — and this time it’s Ukraine that’s providing military assistance.”

Meet the new leader of the free world.

I’ve found the NYT fairly aggravating fairly often recently, but this is a very good article. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World "Zelensky is taking the next step, one that would have been unthinkable even as recently as 2024. By word and deed, he’s showing Europe and the world how the post-American free world can preserve its liberty and independence." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"This might be difficult for many readers to grasp — given our nation’s longstanding military supremacy — but the largest and most battle-hardened land force in the western world may well be the Ukrainian Army." Gift Article www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

#Ukraine #UkranianView Opinion column by a conservative, not a news article, but still.... www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World “Kyiv appears to have given up on the United States.” If that is true — it looks as though it is — it may be worse news for the United States than it is for Ukraine. Europe & even Gulf nations are queuing up for insights on their war resilience & expertise.

Ukraine was supposed to dissolve within days of a Russian invasion. Now, its president oversees a nation that is bringing Russia to its knees at home, while helping to lead towards peace in Iran.

Newsy week so far; however, please take the time to read this piece by @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social slowly, opening each link, and sit with what you read. Ponder it. The wisdom here will give you a better understanding of all the news bouncing around us. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Zelenskyy is a HERO. TRUMP IS A ZERO. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Excellent OpEd by @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social in @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... Thank you!

Original article: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... Archive link: archive.is/rumgc

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"....But for the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington.... It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped." #Zelensky

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

The way Leaders should... www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

A really excellent, must-read analysis … www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Source: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

David French makes the point that few of his compatriots have understood: America is over, and by its own choice www.nytimes.com/2026...?

"Since Americans saw how Trump behaved in his first term and put him back into power, it’s fair for Europeans to conclude that the rift isn’t with Trump alone; its also with a critical mass of Americans." Trump will leave the USA weaker, poorer, and more stupid. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"En palabras y hechos", Zelenski "está enseñando a Europa y al mundo cómo se puede preservar la libertad y la independencia" en un planeta donde EEUU ya no ejerce de defensor de la democracia. El presidente de Ucrania es "el nuevo líder" del mundo libre. En @nytimes.com

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Excellent summary of what will be called "The Trumpian Catastrophe" in the history books: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Russia and the US might implode in the same year, the EU is still afraid to lead, that leaves Ukraine to be the beacon of the free world. Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

New leader of the free word and its #Zelenskyy via @nytimes.com Source : https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/opinion/zelensky-ukraine-trump-nato-leader.html?smid=bs-share

#MissKittyPolitics #Zelensky I said a while back what the author sees as possible or impending. The shift to China has already occurred and is irreversible in the short term. The author is entirely correct that it is generational damage at the least. I do not believe...

🫶 www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"[Zelensky] told the people of Ukraine that the government had not fled to safety in the West and that it intended to stand and fight. 'We are here,' Zelensky said. 'We are in Kyiv. We are protecting Ukraine.'” Everything changed. Free article: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“I don’t think Americans fully appreciate the extraordinary cost of Trump’s bluster & blunders…Once you threaten to invade an allied country, you don’t just place the existence of the alliance in jeopardy; you raise the possibility of allies turning into mortal ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... “It’s now clear that Trump’s second term will cause generational damage to American alliances.” #Trump #Ukraine #Zelensky #Greenland #NATO #Iran #military #diplomacy

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Once again, @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social has written something so carefully thought, and formed by his experiences as an evangelical Christian, a veteran and a lawyer, that it sharply lays open a terrifying truth of a country in decline. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Opinion| Volodymyr #Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is “showing Europe and the world how the post-American free world can preserve its liberty and independence.”

"For the foreseeable future, America’s allies will reasonably fear that they may be one election away from abandonment and betrayal." In-depth analysis of the real harm done by Trump's threats to our allies, and how Ukraine has become the leader of the free world. [ Gɪғᴛ Lɪɴᴋ Bᴇʟᴏᴡ ]

“the moral & strategic heart of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It doesn’t beat in London or Paris or Berlin or Ottawa, either. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

“-the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It doesn’t beat in London, Paris, Berlin or Ottawa, either. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch America has dropped.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

This piece by David French sums up what a lot of us have been thinking / saying about the realignment of NATO and the "free world" in the wake of Trump / the US reneging on the security guarantees we made to Ukraine. It's not "news" but it explains the shift well. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o... @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

"It’s now clear that Trump’s second term will cause generational damage to American alliances." David French is lucid on what the US is forfeiting. This piece is worth your time. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

By a self-described "evangelical conservative”. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Great piece, written by David French in The New York Times (April 26, 2026): Ukraine Has Picked Up the Torch America Dropped. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Is it actually shocking that someone who would campaign for Putin ally Victor Orban is proud to end US funding for Ukraine? What’s truly shocking is to think that that person will lead negotiations. Who? jd Vance Gift article Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

We are being left behind and out of the loop bc of Trump's bluster, lies and verbal attacks on our allies. This will not end well for the US www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Meet the New Leader of the Free World Слава Україні, Slava Ukraini, Glory to Ukraine 🙏 www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

headline is accurate. sorry, americans — not. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Gift article. "Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is taking the next step, one that would have been unthinkable even as recently as 2024. By word and deed, he’s showing Europe and the world how the post-American free world can preserve its liberty and independence.

“But you cannot threaten the free world and lead it at the same time. (…) for the first time in my adult life, the moral and strategic heart of the defense of liberal democracy doesn’t beat in Washington. It’s in Kyiv, where a courageous leader and a courageous people have picked up the torch.”

Every single word of this. History will remember Volodymyr Zelensky as a great man and an epochal leader in the fight for freedom. History will remember Donald Trump as a corrupt sexual predator who devastated the Western alliance.

"But you cannot threaten the free world and lead it at the same time."

"I don’t think Americans fully appreciate the extraordinary cost of Trump’s blunders. It should go without saying, but once you threaten to invade an ally, you don’t just place the alliance in jeopardy; you raise the possibility of allies turning into enemies." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

A must-read on Ukraine www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...

Tell Trump he is next I hope all the foreign policy buffs read this interesting article and readjust their thinking. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/26/o...