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Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
U.S. President Donald
Trump hopes to use Ukraine as a bargaining chip in Yalta-style negotiations
with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Harvard
history professor Serhii Plokhy told NV Radio on Oct. 28.
Plokhy noted that Joseph Stalin “had the strongest cards” at
the 1945 Yalta Conference because the Soviet Union had already occupied much of
Eastern Europe. For President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eastern Europe was a
bargaining chip, he said.
Asked whether Ukraine could be a bargaining chip for Trump
during a possible future meeting with Xi Jinping and Putin, the historian said:
“Without a doubt, Ukraine is not Trump’s priority in this
situation. The priority of the meeting, if it takes place — and it would take
place after the midterm elections in the United States — is currently the war
with Iran, which he entered, as well as gasoline and fuel prices and other
economic consequences resulting from Trump’s policies, not only in Iran. In
this sense, Ukraine is, of course, a bargaining chip.”
Plokhy added that Trump had publicly identified potential
treaties on nuclear weapons as a priority for the meeting.
“Based on what we are hearing from Russia, it is talking
about a ‘Yalta 2’ in the sense of dividing the world,” he said.
“That means Ukraine would have to move into Russia’s sphere
of influence. Russia is, of course, ready to talk with the Americans about
anything, including arms reductions.”
According to the historian, if the talks involve only the
United States and Russia, the two countries have their own priorities, and a
deal over Ukraine appears very possible.
“The issue is that, unlike Stalin, who controlled Poland,
Putin does not control Ukraine. That is a major difference. To some extent,
Yalta legitimized the military and political situation that had already emerged
— or was expected to emerge — by February 1945,” Plokhy said.
“We are now in a completely different situation. ... At
present, we do not see the occupation of the territory that Putin wants to
divide. Unless he is prepared to discuss withdrawing from Ukrainian territory,
but we have seen no such signals.”
On Oct. 18, The Wall Street Journal, citing people
familiar with the matter, reported that Putin had proposed a meeting with Trump
and Xi to negotiate an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine on terms favorable
to Moscow.
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