If something has been clear during the last weeks, it is that the war between Russia and Ukraine does not seem to have a near end. And all this despite the alleged attempts of the Trump administration to get it. And we say ‘assumption’ because reality is far from being promised by the American leader.
And, despite the fact that the relations between the US and Russia have improved considerably with Trump’s arrival at the White House, there does not seem big difference with respect to the previous scenario, with Biden as president of the United States. Just seeing the ‘advances’ regarding peace, it can be observed.
The reality is being very different from the one a priori, Donald Trump had promised. Actually, the only thing that has changed is that now Putin seems to have an ally in the US, who was previously his main enemy, but the war panorama is not especially encouraging for the interests of global stability.
This was explained by Recent Jussi Lassila, principal researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. According to the expert, the policies carried out by Trump and their tuning with Putin would be having the effect totally contrary to that expected, and it is clear that at the moment, Moscow is at a much stronger point than a few months ago, since from his point of view, the great impediment to continue with his warlike climb in Ukraine, which was USA, is no longer such.
For all this, Lassila believes that all this is only allowing Russia to continue with its imperialist aspirations on Ukraine and achieve its final objective, which according to the expert is to get the entire Ukrainian territory. Little by little, but without pause. And he argues that although a few weeks ago, a cessation of temporary weapons might seem more viable than ever, that situation has become the opposite.
In fact, Grigori Karasin, representative of Russia in the latest negotiations with the US, said that negotiations could extend until next year, so temporary peace in Ukraine could still be very far.
The last meeting in Riyadh between American and Russian representatives resulted in the agreement to cease attacks on energy infrastructure, but this, according to the specialist, will only benefit Russia. But nothing is written and it seems that with the passing of the weeks, some voices contrary to the management of Trump regarding war are already arising.
An example of this is found in the proposal of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who recently warned that if Russia did not take a step towards peace and demonstrated it, USA would have to implement sanctions against Moscow again.
What does Putin intend?
And the question that now arises is; If Russia does not intend to put will to achieve peace, what Putin seeks. Lussila is clear about it: to gain time to find the time to give an important lunge to Ukraine and get more territories, which would join the already annexed from Odessa, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk or Barcov.
Russia’s goal, according to the expert is to put Ukraine under Russian control in its entirety, both political and economic. But for this he needs to have on his side to the US, or at least, that Washington allows him to maneuver his wide in certain aspects.
With all this on the table, the Lassila is clear that neither the West – not the US – can be seen as a Putin, nor that everything is lost. Although it does notice that for Ukraine to win this battle, it will be necessary for the US to put a preserve to Russia with respect to its aspirations, so according to him, a great collective effort is required by the West that imposes an unbearable pressure for the Kremlin and thus be able to negotiate with minimal guarantees.
