German expert says Trump seeks rapprochement with Russia, views peace in Ukraine only as means to that end
This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, president of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).
According to him, the approach of peace largely depends on when Donald Trump decides to put pressure on Putin. So far, he has avoided doing so, instead talking about his readiness to impose sanctions and hinting that he has various options. But so far, these have been nothing more than threats.
“My interpretation (of Trump's behavior) is this: the most important interest of the US is rapprochement with Russia, not peace in Ukraine. Peace in Ukraine is only a means to that end,” said the head of the think tank.
In his opinion, Trump is not yet ready to exert serious pressure, and the war continues. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to the American president that “Putin is playing for time and has a completely different goal — victory, not compromise.”
Kleine-Brockhoff does not agree that Trump is ready to literally “sacrifice” Ukraine for his own interests, but he acknowledges that the American leader may well agree to terms that "no Ukrainian prime minister, no president of a self-respecting state could accept, unless he wanted to capitulate in a humiliating manner."
At the same time, the DGAP director noted, it cannot be said that Europeans are doing nothing at all.
"But they are not in the same weight class as the Americans. European resources exist, but they are not unlimited. And Putin knows this, he feels it," the analyst said.
Among the aspects that weaken European allies, he named, in particular, the latest government crisis in France, “the partial capacity and partial incapacity of some European governments,” the activity of populists within Europe, financial difficulties in the EU, and so on.
As reported earlier, US President Donald Trump confirmed that he is ready to move to tougher sanctions against Russia in order to force it into a peace agreement.
