By John E. HerbstFormer U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine
From: New Voice of Ukraine 🇺🇦
Since at least 2014, when Moscow began its war of aggression with the seizure of Crimea, the United Statesand Ukraine have been close partners.
This partnership became much closer after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February of 2022. Washington realized that a Russian victory in Ukraine — meaning Moscow’s effective control of the country — would threaten core U.S. interests in Europe and beyond.
This prompted the Biden administration to lead a global effort to provide military and economic aid to Ukraine and to sanction Moscow and deny the flow of strategic materials to Russia. But as Ukrainians understand better than anyone, Biden’s team has been timid in arming Ukraine and permitting it to use U.S. weapons because it has been intimidated by Putin’s nuclear bluster. Consequently, the United States and NATO never armed Ukraine in a way to defeat Russian aggression.
Trump’s victory will certainly change the U.S. approach to this war. He has set the goal of negotiating a peace settlement or at least a stable ceasefire “in 24 hours.” While that may be excused as hyperbole, it underscores his intention to get something done fast. While we have seen no official plan yet, elements of his approach are in the public domain: territorial compromise; a moratorium on Ukraine joining NATO for at least 20 years; demilitarized zone between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers patrolled by preferably European peacekeepers; substantial arming of Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression. Those elements require major changes in the positions of both Russia and Ukraine.
Voice of Ukraine 