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US President Donald Trump sees Ukraine as a bargaining chip in his big game on the international stage, while the main goal of his policy is to avoid war with Russia and maintain the US position as a superpower. This was written by journalist Farah Stockman in her column for The New York Times.
According to the author, many explain Trump’s actions by greed or sympathy for authoritarian leaders. However, the real motivation of the US president is the desire for power and dominance.
“Trump professes a crude, primitive realism: domination of the weak, respect for the strong, and a rejection of the maintenance of a world order built on values,” Stockman notes.
According to her, Trump recognises that Americans are tired of paying for the “liberal order” and believes that the US is no longer obliged to support weak countries just for the sake of ideals.
Why is Ukraine on the periphery?
As Stockman explains, Trump does not see the war in Ukraine as a struggle between good and evil or democracy and autocracy. For him, this is a strategic dilemma, where the main thing is not to enter into a direct confrontation with Russia, which remains a nuclear superpower.
“During his conversation with Zelensky, Trump made it clear: “You have no cards”. This is a direct acknowledgement of Ukraine’s vulnerability and the US willingness to limit support,” the author writes.
The world through the prism of power
The article notes that Trump’s concept of realism shapes his tough approach to foreign policy. The main goal is to be the strongest and to keep a distance from potential conflicts with equal opponents.
Stockman emphasises that this US policy creates risks for partners and allies who find themselves in a situation where their security is no longer Washington’s priority. And Ukraine has become a vivid example of this new geopolitical reality.
