Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller believes that newly elected US President Donald Trump has every opportunity to change the war’s dynamics. Putin presumably wants to return Russia to the world stage and ease sanctions on his country. Therefore, Trump can demand concessions, and if they are formulated sensibly, it will not be difficult for Putin to agree to them, Gottemoeller says.
Among the conditions that Trump can offer to Putin, she names a cease-fire agreement modeled on West Germany after World War II, delayed NATO membership for Ukraine (probably for 20 years), and a return to negotiations on nuclear arms control and strategic stability.
“Two big deals are peace in Ukraine, and a new nuclear deal would strengthen Trump’s reputation as the best deal-maker and even the best peacemaker,” Gottemoeller added.
Also, no one should come out of this war having suffered a crushing defeat, the expert concluded. However, allowing Ukraine to launch long-range strikes against Russia may complicate Trump’s attempts to achieve peace in Ukraine.