The tone during Tuesday’s meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky was more cordial than during the Ukrainian president’s infamous visit to the White House, but the two men have diametrically opposed views on the ongoing conflict with Russia.
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According to Georges Mercier, doctoral student in political science at Sciences Po Paris, the American president adopts an essentially economic approach.
“He seems incapable of considering that there are conflicts that are not commercial conflicts. A trade conflict, someone wins, someone loses or we do deals that are mutually beneficial, but eventually we can separate the pie in such a way that we have a resolution,” explained the political analyst in an interview with LCN.
However, the Ukrainian conflict, like that with Iran, is based on irreconcilable ambitions, believes Mr. Mercier.
“On the Russian side, we want to deny the sovereignty of Ukraine. On the Ukrainian side, we are fighting to preserve sovereignty,” he summarizes.
According to the latter, Donald Trump struggles to understand that it is difficult to arbitrate on values that go beyond simple economic interests.
During his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, the tenant of the White House spoke more about economic partnership and possible development in Ukraine than about a ceasefire.
“He saw it as a business opportunity […] There is a gulf in understanding the conflict between the current White House and the Europeans. For Europeans, as for Ukrainians, the conflict in Ukraine is an existential conflict which affects the very nature of the European bond. For Donald Trump, it is essentially a commercial problem. And that’s why we have a lot of trouble getting along,” maintains the doctoral student in political science.
To see the full interview, watch the video above.
