Final Word from Thursday, March 6, 2025
JD Vance called them propaganda tours, others call it diplomatic tourism. Hardly a week passes that a policy-making or attention-seeking Western politician doesn't hop on an overnight train to take in the sights of war in Kyiv or another besieged Ukrainian town. Nothing happens to them along the way, and most of them have even stopped pretending that any special security precautions are needed. Ursula von der Leyen announced her latest trip three days in advance. If the Russians really wanted to win this war, they could have easily shown her a "warm welcome." What used to be the fog of war is now the bizarre of war. The Russians and the Americans, and perhaps the Brits, have been playing intelligence games with the world for three years. But now Donald Trump has decided to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine as a way to wind down the war. No one is talking about whether this decision also applies to the secret agreement with Russia on diplomatic tourism, but Jana Černochová's weekend trip to Kharkiv was probably the last propaganda tour by any but the most-reckless Czech VIP until the coast is clear again. [ Czech Republic vice president United States Pres. European Commission EU defense minister ODS Britons United Kingdom U.K. UK ]
Glossary of difficult words
snag - an unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback;
to take in - (in this context) to experience or enjoy;
to besiege - to surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or to force its surrender;
the fog of war - confusion caused by the chaos of war or battle;
reckless - marked by lack of caution;
the coast is clear - it is safe to do something.