The meeting on Monday
It is a matter of satisfaction that the Ukrainian President and the U.S. President have expressed hope that the critical meeting at the White House on Monday could lead to further talks to bring an end to the festering Russia-Ukraine war.
Let me hope, as a nonagenarian optimist, that this time at least one can perfervidly hope that there will be a ray of light seen at the end of a dark tunnel (Front page, August 19).
Mani Nataraajan,
Chennai
President, his functioning
U.S. President Donald Trump thrives on crisis. His political career has never been about solving problems but about inflaming them. Whether it is immigration, the courts, foreign policy, or his own legal troubles, Mr. Trump prefers chaos because it turns the spotlight on him and allows him to pose as both victim and saviour. This constant state of crisis is corrosive to democracy. A healthy political system depends on stability, compromise, and trust in institutions. Mr. Trump undermines all three by treating every challenge as an existential battle and every critic as an enemy. His strategy is not about governing but about manipulating emotions to keep his base loyal.
America needs leaders who seek real solutions, not those who manufacture emergencies for their own survival.
Jagjit Singh,
Los Altos, CA, U.S.
Published – August 20, 2025 12:24 am IST