The global political stage has been set ablaze by an exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. The dispute, rooted in U.S. aid to Ukraine and the broader war effort against Russia, highlights the contradictions within American imperialism and the opportunism of its political actors. For anarcho-communists, this moment presents a case study in the decay of state power, the self-interest of ruling elites, and the urgent necessity of anti-imperialist solidarity.
The Argument: What Happened?
Zelensky, the face of Ukraine’s war effort, has been lobbying for continued U.S. military and financial support. As the war drags on, Ukraine faces dwindling resources and personnel shortages, making continued Western aid a matter of existential importance for the Ukrainian state. However, Trump has expressed scepticism about maintaining aid at its current levels, positioning himself as an “America First” nationalist who prioritises domestic issues over foreign wars.
Enter J.D. Vance, a rising star in Trump’s movement, who has taken an even harder line. Vance has questioned the necessity of continued U.S. involvement, calling for negotiations with Russia and emphasising the economic burdens of military aid. His rhetoric mirrors the growing faction within the Republican Party that sees Ukraine as a lost cause and prefers to realign U.S. foreign policy toward China or domestic concerns.
Zelensky, in response argued that a weakened Ukraine invites further Russian aggression and that abandoning Kyiv would embolden authoritarian regimes worldwide.
Imperialist Infighting and the Limits of Liberal Internationalism
This dispute lays bare the cracks in the U.S. imperialist project. The Biden administration and centrist liberals remain committed to the post-Cold War vision of U.S. global dominance, where American military and economic power upholds a rules-based international order. However, the emerging far-right faction—embodied by Trump and Vance—sees empire differently. Rather than engaging in costly, long-term military commitments, they advocate for a transactional, nationalist foreign policy that prioritises immediate American economic and strategic benefits.
Neither faction offers an anti-imperialist position. The Democrats and their liberal allies remain dedicated to endless war, justifying military interventions under the guise of democracy promotion. Meanwhile, the Trumpist right only opposes war when it is inconvenient; their nationalism does not extend to opposing U.S. militarism outright, only to shifting its focus elsewhere. If abandoning Ukraine serves their interests, they will do so—but they remain committed to aggressive policies against China, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Zelensky, for his part, plays the role of a desperate client-state leader, fully aware that Ukraine’s war effort hinges on continued Western backing. His rhetoric about democracy is a convenient cover for the realities of geopolitical power struggles. The Ukrainian state is not an independent actor in this conflict, but rather a dependent ally of the U.S. and NATO, forced to align itself with Western interests to survive.
What Does This Mean for the Left?
For anarcho-communists, the Zelensky-Trump-Vance dispute should not be viewed through the lens of supporting one side over the other. Instead, it must be understood as a manifestation of imperialist decline. The contradictions within U.S. foreign policy reflect the broader instability of capitalist states and their inability to maintain global hegemony.
There are three key takeaways from this conflict:
-
Empire is Crumbling: The U.S. ruling class is increasingly divided over how to maintain its global dominance. This is a sign of weakness, not strength. As internal political struggles intensify, the state becomes less capable of projecting power consistently.
-
Neither Side is Anti-War: While Trump and Vance frame their opposition to Ukraine aid as an anti-war position, their nationalism ensures that military aggression will continue—just in different forms. The left should not be fooled by reactionary isolationists who oppose one war only to support another.
-
International Solidarity is Key: Rather than taking sides in a war between capitalist states, anarcho-communists must focus on building solidarity with workers, refugees, and oppressed people affected by imperialist conflicts. Supporting grassroots resistance, anti-war organising, and mutual aid efforts is the only meaningful path forward.
The Path Forward
Instead of falling into the trap of liberal interventionism or reactionary nationalism, anarcho-communists must articulate a clear anti-imperialist position. This means opposing all forms of military aggression, rejecting state narratives about democracy and national security, and working to dismantle the systems that produce war in the first place.
Ukraine’s war will not be resolved by choosing between Zelensky’s desperate appeals, the Democrat’s endless war policies, or Trump’s transactional nationalism. Instead, the answer lies in dismantling the structures of imperialism and capitalism that make such wars inevitable. The real enemies are not foreign nations but the ruling classes that profit from war, exploitation, and nationalist division.
The Zelensky-Trump-Vance dispute is not just a political spectacle—it is a reflection of a decaying world order. The question for anarcho-communists is not which faction of imperialism to support but how to accelerate the collapse of empire and build a future based on solidarity, cooperation, and liberation.