Volker names Trump's main goal for Ukraine
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Former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that the new U.S. President Donald Trump is taking office with an absolute determination to end the war in Ukraine. According to him, the best solution would be Ukraine's membership in NATO as soon as possible.
Kurt Volker said this at a panel discussion at Ukraine House in Davos, a Novyny.LIVE correspondent reports.
Trump's main goal for Ukraine
Volker believes that Trump and National Security Advisor Joseph Keith Kellogg understand very well that Ukraine wants peace, and Russia is preventing it. Therefore, it is necessary to make Russian dictator Vladimir Putin also want peace, and this requires force.
"If you heard President Trump during the campaign and especially after the election, he emphasized that there would be a period of renewal. And I think that in the case of Ukraine, it is a lot of support for ending the war," Volker said.
The special envoy believes that now is a very good time because Russia is in a weaker position than at any time since February 2022. According to Volker, Russia has rampant inflation, high interest rates, is printing money, and is spending a significant portion of its foreign exchange reserves and budget deficit just to support the military. They are losing people on the battlefield at an extraordinary rate. So Putin needs a break, but he will never admit it, he will just try to show strength.
"So I am optimistic that 2025 will be the time of the ceasefire. And then weget to the question: how do we turn the ceasefire into a lasting durable peace? However, the Trump administration is not currently of the opinion that Ukraine should join NATO immediately. I believe that they will be mostly silent on this issue," the politician suggested.
According to him, there is an ongoing discussion about whether European allies will position training and armed forces in Ukraine and help with air defense. Volker explained that the idea is to be present enough to prevent Putin from attacking again after the ceasefire.
If that happens, Ukraine will have more than a ceasefire. It will be meaningful security guarantees, much more effective than the Budapest Memorandum.
When will Ukraine be able to join the EU?
Asked when Ukraine would be able to join the EU, Volker said it would happen sooner than ten years.
"I think four years is an optimistic forecast. There are chapters, negotiations on chapters or adoption of chapters. Then there is implementation," said the former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine.
As a reminder, on January 20, Donald Trump took the oath of office and officially became the new President of the United States. The politician took office for the second time and became the 47th head of state.
During Trump's ceremony, Ukraine was represented by Ambassador Oksana Markarova. She also presented the program of the event.
