Radar Armenia‘s interlocutor is international affairs expert Shahan Gandaharian.
– How do you assess what is happening around Ukraine? The Trump-Zelensky meeting had a sad ending. The Ukrainian president was essentially kicked out of the White House, and then the US stopped providing military aid and intelligence.
– The main issue of this meeting was the US’s possession of Ukraine’s mineral resources. Trade is going on. Instead, they are trade negotiations. The other part is a show that Trump put on to send a message to Moscow.
– Instead, Europe has taken up the defense of Ukraine, and there is talk of increasing funding for that country. What does this mean, and without cooperation with the US, is European aid valuable?
– By the same logic, Europe says to give rare metals and get assistance in return. In essence, it is about joint defense, which has its price. That price is being demanded from Kyiv.
– The French president’s message was clear: He criticized Russia, presented it as a threat to Europe, and discussed the deployment of a NATO peacekeeping contingent. Russia countered this. Lavrov sharply expressed his opinion on the provision of a NATO peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine, assessing it as a direct intervention. Will Europe take this step and clarify the situation?
– I think this issue will continue to hang like a sword of Damocles. Let’s note that NATO has already reached the borders of Russia. This blackmail will still be used against Moscow.
– After all this, do you see the war’s outcome?
– The ceasefire will not be governed by a Russian-Ukrainian agreement but by US-Russian relations and the rules specified by Washington. Russia’s former domains are already in a new status in the emerging world order.
