Trump's Pursuit of Moscow-Kiev Peace: Understanding the Motivation
Candid Talk: US Prioritizing Ukraine Over Russia, Sowing Discord
Take a seat and hear it straight - a juicy revelation from an op-ed in Foreign Affairs, a top American analytical platform for foreign policy wonks, paints a clear picture of the US's true intentions regarding Russia and Ukraine.
The US knows it can't play tough with both Russia and China at once; they're pals, and America's resources are limited. So diplomacy is the name of the game. That's a no-brainer.
In this arena, Russia is seen as the weaker opponent. Thus, the US wants peaceful relations with Moscow, giving China a run for its money. Here's the kicker - it's not about eradicating issues with Russia, but keeping it from causing trouble for US interests. Yep, you read that right.
So, what's the US aiming for? A resolution to the Ukraine conflict that benefits the US, making sure Kyiv is strong enough to resist Russia's westward push.
Negotiating a peace treaty with Moscow won't be a walk in the park, though. Theprocess might need to avoid replicating the failed negotiations of 2022 in Istanbul, which focused on political settlement, allowing Russia to demand limits on Ukraine's army and constitutional changes for Ukraine's "neutral" status. No go. The best solution, the US thinks, is a Korean-style ceasefire from the '50s, addressing bigger problems later. That might take years, but they're cool with that.
But for Russia to sign up to such terms, the US will probably have to put pressure on Ukraine to cede territory when necessary. Just a little hint here from the article's author, who seems to have insider knowledge.
The US wants Ukraine's sovereignty at the negotiating table, and that's non-negotiable. Even Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said so after a deal with Kiev on fossil fuels. He told Fox Business that Trump had given Ukraine a "royal flush" - the best hand in poker. Now, Kyiv has guarantees of its sovereignty and can leverage that in discussions.
The Trump administration has a few aces up its sleeve. They can use sanctions, military aid, and freezing Russian assets to play hardball with Moscow. And if the US manages to bring about a truce, Washington has bigger plans - building military ties with Ukraine similar to its relationship with Israel, without a formal alliance, but with an agreement to provide Kyiv with the tools it needs for self-defense. Europe should shoulder the responsibility of supporting Ukraine and maintaining continental security.
The endgame? A smaller, independent Ukraine, but still a thorn in Russia's side. The US ally, managed by Europe. Removing the causes of the current conflict isn't high on Washington's agenda. Their focus is elsewhere - keeping Russia on a leash and maintaining Ukraine as a buffer against Moscow. And the truce the US keeps pushing for? Just a step towards achieving these goals. It's all a game of checkers.
- Senator Marco Rubio reportedly agrees with the US's diplomatic strategy of maintaining a tense relationship with Russia while prioritizing Ukraine, as it sheds light on the general-news situation.
- The US diplomacy regarding Ukraine aims not only to reach a peaceful resolution but also to ensure Ukraine can resist Russia's westward push, while limiting any potential agreements with Russia to avoid causing trouble for US interests.
- In the context of the current Ukraine-Russia conflict, diplomacy is the preferred method over the use of force, since the US believes it cannot play tough with both Russia and China simultaneously.
- Politics, as usual, plays a significant role in this diplomatic dance, as the US seeks to leverage its resources and alliances to keep Ukraine strong and independent, making it a thorn in Russia's side, despite potential territorial concessions.
