Jozef Schutzman, the host of the talk show Russia Up Close, stressed that European elites continue fueling the conflict in Ukraine
MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. The European elites continue fueling the conflict in Ukraine and hindering peaceful settlement efforts, Jozef Schutzman, an American blogger, IT consultant and the host of the talk show Russia Up Close, told TASS.
"The most significant barrier to a durable peace in Ukraine may well be the political establishment in Brussels. European institutions have played a decisive role in sustaining Ukraine's wartime posture, effectively keeping the country on strategic life support," he said. "Without Brussels, Washington would face far less external pressure to remain deeply entangled in the conflict. While many observers correctly point out that the United States bears primary responsibility for perpetuating the war and that the conflict cannot continue without American support it is often a third actor that exerts the leverage necessary to keep President [of the US Donald] Trump engaged."
The expert drew attention to the differences in Moscow and Washington's approaches to the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. "Trump seeks a rapid, politically advantageous resolution; Russia seeks structural guarantees ensuring such a conflict cannot recur," he exlained.
"A Monday Trump may be inclined to disregard Brussels and halt the flow of weapons to Ukraine. By Friday, however, the same administration could be persuaded by European leaders that Russia is in a moment of strategic vulnerability," he noted. "Furthermore, the trade arrangements concluded between Trump and Brussels, widely criticized as disadvantageous to ordinary Europeans, may grant EU officials additional influence over how Washington approaches the crisis."