Cause for hope? - Trump's government nominations could have an effect on Ukraine

Cause for hope? - Trump's government nominations could have an effect on Ukraine FOCUS Online • 20 hours • 2 minutes reading time Donald Trump's latest personnel decisions for his government could mean hope for Ukraine. A possible scenario for a war outcome under Trump is also slowly emerging. Donald Trump has nominated three supporters of an active US role in world politics to his government: Elise Stefanik for the United Nations, Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor. This could also be good news for Ukraine. Although none of them has contradicted Trump's strategy of negotiating a deal in Ukraine, it is unlikely that they will do so under the conditions that Moscow now seems to expect, reports the "Telegraph". This could at least avert the much feared scenario in which an isolationist US president abandons Ukraine completely. Putin would have clear conditions for negotiations According to the report, Vladimir Putin would have several demands for possible negotiations. These include that Ukraine renounce four partially occupied regions, declare neutrality, reduce its army to 50,000 men and grant Moscow a veto right on the purchase of Western weapons. This would effectively make Ukraine a puppet state on the Belarusian model, according to the British daily. In addition, Putin is also demanding an end to sanctions. Rubio calls for a "Ukraine-friendly" solution Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State from January 2025, wants a "Ukraine-friendly" solution, which he defines according to the report as maintaining sovereignty and not at all as continuing to exist as a puppet state. This would mean, for example, that Ukraine is free to choose its own defense alliances. However, according to the "Telegraph", Rubio also voted against the last US aid package for Ukraine as a senator for Florida, arguing that Europe should pay more for its own defense. Waltz could have withdrawal from Afghanistan in mind Mike Waltz, a former US special forces officer, has already discussed the proposal to allow Ukraine to use American missiles to attack certain targets in Russia. According to the Telegraph report, this could mean oil refineries, airfields and troop concentrations, for example. This would be a clear departure from the policy of current US President Joe Biden, who has so far banned such attacks. According to the British daily, Waltz was also appalled by the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the message of American determination that this sends.