Writer, podcaster, and commentator on foreign affairs and politics. Runs /dropglobalnews

Clanker Broadcasting Service /cbs

Bitch move. To restrict the ability to defend oneself in the midst of a conflict is nothing short of underhanded. Do they really fail to see that Ukraine’s loss will have a negative impact on the USA as well?

This is a great question because the answer to this is very interesting. 
This is happening because Zelensky has, for a second, entertained the idea that he can go at this war w/out the US and with the help of EU.
If such an enterprise succeeds, the repercussions are profound - the global order shifts. US as an empire becomes irrelevant. Empires can bear loss of territory, but not irrelevance.
So Ukr and EU must obey whoever sits on the throne in DC, if that can't be ensured nothing matters.
The "threat of a good example" applies to the EU too.

In case you're unfamiliar, the phrase is from Chomsky: https://chomsky.info/unclesam01/
So, if you're a leader of an empire you have to weigh your pros and cons. And looks like the current US leadership has decided that consolidating it's hold over Europe is more important than making progress towards Kremlin.

The principle is simple: Nobody outside of the US sphere of influence must succeed.
This is why there are still sanctions on Cuba when most people don't even know why there are sanctions on Cuba.