Former U.S. Envoy Kurt Volker: Trump would seek to prevent Ukraine's defeat if elected
In a statement at the 10th annual Kyiv Security Forum for Youth organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation "Open Ukraine," former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker opined that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would strive to avoid Ukraine's defeat in its ongoing war with Russia, should he be elected to office.
"When it comes to Trump, there are individuals around him who firmly support Ukraine, and certainly, there are those who do not. But I believe their motivations are very personal," Volker stated. "As for Trump himself, he does not want to see failure. He does not want Ukraine to suffer a defeat under his watch and to be held accountable for it."
Volker drew parallels with the situation in Afghanistan, pointing out that Trump agreed with current President Joe Biden that maintaining American troops there does not align with America's long-term interests.
"However, he didn't withdraw the troops himself, understanding that it could potentially lead to a catastrophe... He was clear about not making that move personally, and as we've seen, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan under Biden didn't leave a favorable impression. The same applies to Ukraine: Trump wouldn't want to see a loss," Volker observed.
However, he added, "there is a certain dynamic in reaching peace through strength."