Trump can force Putin to surrender by boosting Ukraine’s aid, ex-foreign minister claims

President-elect Donald Trump has the tools to force Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to accept capitulation, says Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister and head of the Center for Russian Studies, according to UkrInform. Following Trump’s election victory, discussions have emerged about potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, as he has expressed a desire to end the war swiftly. However, it remains uncertain how he will persuade Moscow to engage in negotiations. Reports suggest that Trump might consider a peace deal that compromises Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Ohryzko highlighted that US military aid to Ukraine under Trump would remain a complicated and uncertain issue. On one hand, Trump has frequently voiced a desire to end the war swiftly, even mentioning the possibility of pressuring both Moscow and Kyiv. This approach raises concerns, as it could involve reducing military support to Ukraine to push Kyiv toward concessions.

“Whether such efforts will actually be implemented, however, remains an open question,” Ohryzko noted.

He suggested examining the issue through Trump’s ambitions, as the president-elect portrays himself as the "greatest leader of all time," determined to establish America as the world's dominant power.

“There’s a clear contradiction here: can a ‘leader of the world’ afford to lose to an authoritarian dictator? For Trump, his reputation as a winner is paramount. If he wants to secure his place in history as the president who not only made America great but also reinforced its global leadership, he must show strength — and that means defeating Putin,” Ohryzko explained.

According to the Ukrainian former foreign minister, the logical path to achieve this is not to reduce aid to Ukraine but to increase it. It could be paired with a new wave of stringent sanctions against Russia.

“Such a strategy could force Putin to concede, bringing him to the negotiating table on his knees to accept not his terms, but a capitulation he has no choice but to accept,” the diplomat concluded.

This week, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview with Politico that Ukraine’s European allies must intensify their support in the fight against Russia to strengthen Kyiv’s position in negotiations with Moscow.

Politico: Starmer says Ukraine needs strong position before any Trump-brokered peace deal with Russia

When asked if Donald Trump’s return to the White House would mean Europe needs to do more for Ukraine, Starmer responded, “Yes, I think collectively we do need to do more. I think that is recognized across Europe.” He promised that the UK would play an active role in any peace initiative arising from Trump’s presidency.

Related:

• EU’s Kallas warns against rushing Ukraine-Russia negotiations amid Trump’s push for talks
• No current prospects for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, says Zelenskyy’s adviser
• Western leaders should stop speculating about Ukraine’s defeat, Polish PM Tusk urges
• Trump plans talks with Putin and Zelenskyy to end Russo-Ukrainian war