KJF-2024: Russians are not very happy with Trump's plan – former US ambassador

The winner of the US presidential election, Donald Trump, has a clear idea of what should be achieved in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and some things are not welcome in Ukraine, but they are not welcome in the Kremlin either.

"And this is something that should give Ukrainians some confidence in what Trump is up to," said John Herbst, American diplomat, US Ambassador to Ukraine (2003-2005), Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, during his speech at the Fifth Kyiv Jewish Forum.

Herbst reminded that Trump is talking about resolving the war on the principle that Moscow controls part of Ukraine and Kyiv controls the rest, and this would mean a certain type of ceasefire. At the same time, Trump also means that there should be a demilitarized zone that would put Ukraine in a position where it could defend itself well if Moscow resumes its aggression. "And I don't think the Kremlin and Putin like that very much," the diplomat said.

The American diplomat believes that Putin's goal is to try to incite Trump to allow Russia to do whatever it wants in Ukraine. If Trump comes to the conclusion that he cannot do this, then Putin is in trouble, and this is to Ukraine's benefit.

In terms of security guarantees for Ukraine, he said that they could be the deployment of European NATO troops on the contact line, and that would make it very difficult for Putin to do what he did with the Minsk agreements.

"It's not impossible, but it's very difficult. If at the same time we arm Ukraine much more than we have armed it today, it will also make the Russians think twice about breaking any peace," Herbst thinks.

However, he is not convinced that European troops can actually be deployed in Ukraine: "I can't say yes, but I can't say no either. One can imagine a scenario in which they would do so, on the condition that the United States is ready to provide, for example, all the resources, including weapons. It could work. But I'm not saying it will."

At the same time, Herbst said that it is critical for American interests that Putin loses the war in Ukraine. According to him, the overwhelming majority of the Republican Party, including in Congress, understand the danger Putin's policies pose to the United States and would like to continue to strongly support Ukraine.

"Almost all of the candidates for the top positions in the National Security, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Security Council understand the strategic danger Russia poses to the United States and, therefore, the need to support Ukraine. This is a reason for some optimism, as is the fact that Trump has put forward certain conditions that have the Kremlin confused. But this is largely a work in progress. So first we have to see who Trump appoints, and then we have to see what they actually do," he said.

Kyiv Jewish Forum is taking place for the fifth year in a row. This year, it is held online, and Washington, D.C. has become the central venue. Organizers of the Kyiv Jewish Forum are the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and The Jerusalem Post.

Media partners of KJF-2024: NV, Oboz.ua, RBC-Ukraine, Telegraf.ua, Inter.

Let’s recall that during the opening of the forum, JCU President and Vice President of the World Jewish Congress Boris Lozhkin emphasized that Ukrainians and Israelis have high hopes for the return of the U.S. administration that has previously demonstrated its determination to help both Ukraine and Israel.