War in Ukraine: Trump and Putin hand in hand against Zelensky
It is euphoria in Moscow and dismay in European capitals. The whirlwind of Donald Trump’s statements, mid-February, incriminating his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, resonated like an echo in the propaganda of the Kremlin: “This failed actor”, “this dictator” is accused by the President of having “Started in the war” and cling to power with only “4 %” of popular support (63 % in reality, according to a Ibif and Kiis survey of February 19).
At the same time, in Brussels, before the members of NATO, the American secretary for defense, Pete Hegseth, warned that he was “unrealistic” for Ukraine to think of finding his borders before 2014 (during The first Russian invasion) and to integrate NATO.
With such wages, no surprising that Putin gave his approval to the opening of direct negotiations with the United States, Saudi Arabia, February 18-in the absence of Ukrainians and Europeans.
Trump wanted to coax the Russian part
But why did Donald Trump align on Putinian speech? First rational explanation: the American president wanted to coax the Russian part, little willing to curb his military offensive, convinced that time plays in his favor.
Unlike Zelensky, Putin does not have to report to her public opinion, muzzled or disinformed, massive losses on the front. The second hypothesis requires reviewing the history of relations that real estate developer Donald Trump has established with the Russians since the Soviet era.
Ancient
In his book Our man in Washington, Trump in the hand of the Russians (Ed. Grasset), the journalist Régis Géné tells how, for forty years, the Russian secret services maintained contact with the businessman via intermediaries. Thus, back from Moscow, in the summer of 1987, the American pleaded so that “the United States stopped paying for countries that have the means to defend themselves”.
Régis Géné noted that in the Russian delegation present in Riyadh on February 18, was the billionaire Dmitri Rybolovlev, who in 2008 bought his house in Palm Beach (acquired at a price of $ 41 million) for … 95 million Dollars. Does this skein of links weigh in the choices of the White House?
“The United States does not need Europe”
The third explanation is based on the observation that the United States has taken a tighter and rapid than expected insulation turn. In a speech held in Munich on February 14, the vice-president, JD Vance, refers to a bygone era the transatlantic common values and questions American engagement.
“The United States does not need Europe and half, at least, its voters has detached it,” said analyst Keith Naughton, of the Silent Majority Strategies cabinet. Within the alliance, divorce is underway. Except to pay the high price. The trade war that Trump will launch against Europe will indicate the amount of the addition to be paid for the latter.
