Trump strategic

Granig on USA: weakening Putin with Ukraine aid

(Bild: krone.tv )

Donald Trump is making headlines with his promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. But how realistic is this plan? US support for Ukraine could continue under Trump - despite the striking announcements. In an interview with security expert Cornelius Granig, it becomes clear: "Part of the Republicans' strategy is to support Ukraine in order to weaken Russia."

He explains why this also means support for Ukraine in the future: "In general, the Republicans - and Donald Trump is a Republican - have always had the strategy of keeping Russia small so that the USA is very important in the world. And automatically part of this strategy is of course to make those who fight the Russians bigger and to support them."

Even if Trump hints at a rapprochement with Russia, the basic Republican stance remains unchanged: "The Republican Party is more than Donald Trump. There are significant forces there that continue to pursue this Russia policy."

"Realpolitik only visible after taking office"
 For Granig, it remains to be seen how realistic Trump's plan actually is: "In terms of realpolitik, we will only see this commitment to 24 hours once he is actually in office." Much depends on his team, for example on a potential new Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Since the start of the war almost three years ago, a paradoxical situation has emerged: "There are two important war aims for the Americans. On the one hand, Ukraine absolutely has to win this war, on the other hand, they don't want Russia to lose the war. Because if Russia loses, it will lead to great instability in the world." "I hope that the new American administration will do something positive for Ukraine, but also that the European Union will finally wake up and find a strategy that supports a strong Europe and a poor Ukraine against the aggressor."

(Bild: krone.tv )

The question of whether Ukraine can join NATO also remains open. "This is a hypothetical discussion," says Granig. If a peaceful solution is found and Ukraine is restored to its original borders, this could lead to a discussion about joining NATO. However, Granig points out that this step is associated with high financial costs. "Joining NATO is also expensive. It costs something to arm yourself and then be part of it," says Granig. NATO members would also have to provide assistance in the event of an attack, which is an enormous burden for a country like Ukraine.

Despite the existing disagreements within the EU, Granig is convinced of the idea of the Union. "The European Union is a great thing because it is a democratic alliance of states," says the former Siemens CEO. However, according to him, the disagreement over Ukraine policy could jeopardize the credibility of the Union. He is particularly critical of the position of countries such as Hungary, which repeatedly oppose a hard line on the Ukraine issue.

Possible peace solutions 
Would Ukraine be prepared to accept a solution in which Russia retains territorial gains? "I can't look behind the scenes," says Granig, President of Ukraine-Hilfe Östereich. "There is a widespread opinion in Ukraine that everything must be done to end the war. 

It is more likely that people will think about the possibility of granting independence to some areas or introducing partial autonomy. But I don't believe that these areas will simply be integrated into Russia," says Granig. The political reality of Ukraine and the question of national identity stand in the way of such a solution.

"This would not only call into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but also the face of the Ukrainian side, which would be a considerable setback both politically and symbolically," emphasizes Granig. For Ukraine, but also for its allies, such a step would hardly be acceptable, as it would disregard the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.

Watch the full interview in the video above!