Photo: Getty Images/AFP/M. Ngan
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former chief strategist, urged him to make a bold statement during his inaugural speech, announcing his intention to end the war in Ukraine quickly. This was reported by Politico.
In Bannon’s view, US involvement in the war could become a political burden for Trump, just as the Vietnam War was for Richard Nixon. Bannon said he was concerned that Trump could fall into a trap created by influential circles in the defence industry, European allies and even some of his advisers, such as retired General Keith Kellogg, the special representative for Ukraine and Russia.
“If we are not careful, the war in Ukraine will become Trump’s Vietnam. And it won’t be Biden’s war, it will be his,” Bannon said.
NATO and Bannon’s scepticism
Bannon has been harshly critical of European allies and NATO, saying that the alliance is more like an “American protectorate”.
“NATO cannot even assemble two combat-ready divisions. Europe simply does not consider Russia a serious threat, otherwise they would spend more money and resources on defence,” he said.
Bannon also criticised European leaders such as Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron for their “theatrical” policies.
Debate on the end of the war
Despite his friendship with Kellogg, Bannon believes that his position on long-term negotiations with Russia will only prolong the conflict and increase US involvement.
“We need to act quickly. We need a concrete plan. Anything else will only complicate the situation,” he said.
Bannon also added that he is engaged in intensive negotiations to get Trump to announce his intention to end the war within the first 100 days of his presidency.
A complicated relationship with Trump
Relations between Bannon and Trump remain tense. After a high-profile conflict in 2018, they parted ways, but later resumed cooperation.
The political science community and the media are closely watching whether Trump will take Bannon’s advice, as it may become the basis for his future foreign policy.
