Will US stop supporting Ukraine if Trump wins: NATO forecast
Admiral Rob Bauer (twitter.com/cmc_nato)
The United States is unlikely to stop supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, regardless of the outcome of the presidential election. This is not in America's interest, according to the Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer.
Speaking at a conference in Seoul, Bauer noted that there is widespread support for Ukraine among the American public, as well as within both the Democratic and Republican parties.
"I think it’s unlikely in that light that the US as a country will stop supporting Ukraine," he said.
Bauer's comments came after Republican candidate Donald Trump said during a debate hosted by ABC News that ending the war in Ukraine is in America's best interest. The former president did not answer the moderator's question on whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war.
"As we all know, politicians that are participating in an election say things that not necessarily end up becoming policy in their government if they win the election," the NATO admiral added.
The race for the White House remains tight ahead of the November 5 election, and the two candidates hold significantly different views on resolving Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, which has now entered its third year.
While President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have pledged to support Kyiv for as long as it takes, Trump has repeatedly questioned US commitments to NATO and vowed to end the war by his inauguration. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has shown no signs of being willing to negotiate, except on his terms.
"If the Russians stop the war now and go home, the war is over. If Ukraine stops the war now, they have lost their country. That’s the difference," Bauer said. "I would be extremely surprised if the US would have an interest in allowing Putin to win that war."
The first debate between Harris and Trump took place on September 10 and was widely considered a victory for Harris. The Democratic candidate said that thanks to American support, Ukraine is able to defend itself against Russian aggression. Trump, on the other hand, twice avoided direct questions about whether he wants Ukraine to win the war and if that aligns with America's interests in his view.
