Several prominent political experts shared their views on the dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty compiled their reactions.
Timothy Snyder, a Yale University historian and expert on Central and Eastern European history, asserts that the Trump administration is blaming the victim – Ukraine.
“Abusing the victim is not going to end a war of aggression,” he said.
David Satter, U.S.-based journalist and expert on Russia, describes the situation as troubling, noting that Trump appears frustrated because he believes Ukraine’s leadership is supporting his political opponents.
“I hope American public opinion will have an impact. If it becomes clear to the White House that Americans are on Ukraine’s side, it will make a difference,” Satter said.
Joshua Rubenstein, a historian and researcher at Harvard University’s Davis Center, believes that restoring relations between Trump and Zelenskyy is possible after a brief pause.
“I hope Volodymyr Zelenskyy will find a way to reestablish contact with Donald Trump under calmer circumstances, possibly through diplomatic mediation. Ukraine’s European allies may assist in this,” he says.
He adds that a peace agreement is essential for Russia, Ukraine, and Trump, who “genuinely wants to end this war and has publicly committed to it.”
Political scientist and philosopher Francis Fukuyama argues that the U.S. turning away from Ukraine would be a catastrophic mistake for America’s national security.
“A world order based on the right of the strong is not beneficial to the United States, because to prove that you are strong, you will have to shed American blood,” he says.
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Cover: ABC News
