Expert: Ukraine within 1991 borders scenario may become real thanks to Trump
Photo: US President-elect Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The scenario in which Ukraine eventually regains its 1991 borders is becoming increasingly realistic. This is because the next US president, Donald Trump, will enter negotiations with Russia from a strong position, political strategist Taras Zahorodnii shared this in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
In his opinion, Trump’s future administration is currently considering options to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. It remains unclear whether Ukraine will regain full control over its entire territory, but this scenario is becoming increasingly realistic.
"Not through military means, but through a military-political approach. Ukraine may regain its 1991 borders. I became more optimistic after the sanctions that targeted Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. The Kremlin’s outbursts and hysteria are already visible," Zahorodnii noted.
The interlocutor drew attention to the statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Moscow is ready to discuss "security guarantees" for Ukraine, as well as remarks by Putin’s aide Nikolai Patrushev claiming that Ukraine would allegedly cease to exist in 2025.
"They urgently seek negotiations with the US, which means we are on the right path. Honestly, I expected Trump to take this up in the first quarter of this year. But either Biden was pressured along with him. I think this was definitely coordinated with Trump. And now Trump won’t engage with the Russians calmly. He is now entering negotiations with Russia from a very strong position. If needed, he can say, ‘Look, I don’t know, this was all done by my predecessor, it was all Biden.’ You know, it’s like a starting position. And it’s a very powerful one," he said.
He also added that if Ukraine regains its 1991 borders, there will be no formal reasons left to argue that it cannot become a NATO member.
Can Trump pressure Putin?
During his election campaign and afterward, Donald Trump frequently stated his intention to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. His plan remains unknown, although his team members have previously outlined possible general parameters.
Specific details are likely to emerge after his inauguration on January 20, possibly following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has also expressed interest in meeting with Putin.
Regarding the meeting with Zelenskyy, Kyiv and Washington are already working on organizing it.
According to Zelenskyy, there is a chance to end the war in 2025. "Trump wants to end the war. These are his messages, both public and private. He is capable of pressuring Russia," he stated.
Bloomberg reports that during negotiations with Trump, Putin may demand that Ukraine never joins NATO. Notably, Trump himself is not enthusiastic about Ukraine’s future membership in NATO and generally considers the idea a mistake. However, his team is preparing tough sanctions against Russia to force it toward peace.
