Bloomberg has reported that if Donald Trump secures victory in the upcoming presidential election in November 2024, he is promising to exert pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to resume peace negotiations.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the news outlet stated that Trump's policy advisers have discussed strategies to force the adversaries to return to the negotiating table at the beginning of any new presidential term.
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According to these sources, discussions among the advisers have included the prospect of forcing Ukraine to re-engage in negotiations by offering to halt American military assistance.
Conversely, Russia could face the threat of increased US support for Kyiv as a means of coercion.
Bloomberg highlighted the views of several of Trump's advisers, including Larry Kudlow and Robert O'Brien, who have publicly advocated for the imposition of stricter sanctions on the Russian Central Bank to influence Putin's decisions regarding the ongoing war.
However, the sources underlined that currently there have been no direct negotiations between Trump's team and intermediaries from Russia and Ukraine, as private organizations are prohibited by US law from negotiating on behalf of the government at such levels.
Bloomberg also reported on discussions among Trump's allies advocating the concept of a “two-tier NATO,” where the future application of article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty would be contingent upon countries meeting the current two percent defense spending targets.
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Some in Trump's camp have proposed the implementation of new tariffs on NATO members that fall behind in meeting their financial obligations.
If these proposed initiatives were enacted, Bloomberg said they would represent a significant departure from decades of US foreign policy and potentially lead to a division within the Alliance, which has played a crucial role in European security since the Cold War era.
The report also referenced Trump's previous remarks in a June 2023 interview with Reuters, where he suggested that Ukraine might need to cede some territory to Russia to end the war.
In contrast, Ukrainian authorities have maintained that the withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine is a prerequisite for a peaceful outcome.
Trump's stance on NATO has been a recurring theme, with the former president frequently expressing discontent over what he perceives as disproportionate US contributions to the alliance.
During a recent election rally in South Carolina on February 11, Trump hinted at using Russian aggression as leverage against NATO members who fail to meet their financial obligations.
In response to Trump's statements, current President Joe Biden criticized his remarks as “shameful” and “anti-American.”
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed a preference for the “predictable” Biden over the erratic Trump as the president of the United States.
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