U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has a unique opportunity to stand up to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, as both share a similar authoritarian approach to leadership. This was highlighted by Diane Francis, editor-at-large at the National Post, columnist at the Kyiv Post, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, during a webinar organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) on the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations following the presidential election.
“I hope that Trump realizes that Putin is not only responsible for the mayhem in Ukraine, but also for the chaos in the Middle East, which is another problem he [Trump] has to solve,” Francis said.
She added that Trump, who abhors losing, will likely seek ways to support Ukraine and gain an edge over Putin.
“Trump has to realize that the U.S. is unbelievably powerful compared to Russia. Russia is a peanut economically and militarily next to the U.S.,” Francis said. “I want him to use his backbone and always remember that.“
At the same time, UCCA President Michael Sawkiw, Jr. emphasized the importance of the Ukrainian community in the U.S. staying active and engaged with the new administration.
“We count on you, the community, to advocate on the ground in your local areas and bring forward all the important information about Ukraine and the necessity of the United States as a strategic partner,” he said.
Watch the full webinar recording here.
