The Kremlin could be waiting on a potential change of leadership in the White House before it sits down to discuss peace in Ukraine, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has alleged in an interview with Spanish media.
The EU’s top diplomat stated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would have occurred much differently under a Trump presidency, and that Putin had vastly underestimated the strength of transatlantic relations between the U.S. and Europe.
Donald Trump and his administration have been repeatedly attacked for entertaining pro-Russian sympathies before and during his presidency, despite a recent report which cleared his campaign of any criminal interactions with the Russian government.
Borrell went on to chastise those who wanted a quick peace with Russia without a total withdrawal from Ukraine saying that Western European nations were unable to comprehend the geopolitical considerations of those in the East.
The interview comes as Vladimir Putin confirmed that his country was open to peace talks on the condition that the West ceases arming the Ukrainian resistance, a demand that is unlikely to be met.
The long-expected Ukrainian counteroffensive commenced last week as Kyiv attempted to sever the land bridge connecting Russia with Crimea and cripple Russian supply routes.
In his remarks, Borrell described that he expected the Chinese government to potentially force Russia’s hand on peace negotiations consistent with the peace plans Beijing presented at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year. China has pivoted as a peacemaker throughout the conflict as the EU ponders sanctions against Chinese firms for supplying the Russian war effort in Ukraine.
Moving onto domestic Spanish politics, Borrell said that any change of government in Madrid wouldn’t mitigate the EU’s resolve on Ukraine. He reassured the interviewer that the EU was monitoring any potential Russian interference in next year’s EU elections and any push for a new Catalan independence referendum.
Since 2022, Borrell has played a prominent role in the EU’s response to the war and has helped facilitate multiple arms shipments to Ukraine as well as sanctions against the Russian government.
This rare example of Europe’s chief diplomat wading into American presidential politics is met with speculation that the issue of Ukraine could become a major issue in next year’s race for the White House.
