US President Trying Hard to Steady Relations With Russia

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Ekaterina Blinova

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US President Donald Trump is really trying hard to put relationships back on an even keel, says Michael Maloof, former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

«The key here is that, and I think Mr Putin feels this now, that Trump does respect Russia as a strategic partner,» Michael Maloof tells Sputnik, stressing: «that’s the direction that Trump wants to go, unlike the Biden administration.»

The ex-Pentagon security policy analyst believes that this attitude will likely manifest in the weeks ahead.

Volodymyr Zelensky may now be taking the situation more seriously, and despite their resentment, the Europeans will have no choice but to respect any ceasefire agreements that are made, Maloof warns.

«We’re going to have to wait and see what transpires and whether there’s going to be respect for it — for those terms. And if the Europeans do not, then I think Trump is going to really begin cracking down on them in terms of any further support. And we’re seeing that right now, beginning with demanding that NATO adhere to 5% of their GDP to keep their NATO commitments viable. And they certainly cannot do that,» Maloof says.

Even if the US withdraws from the Russo-Ukrainian talks, Maloof believes that wouldn’t prevent the Trump administration from pursuing its own geostrategic agreements with Russia, renewing bilateral relations, and collaborating in other key areas of mutual interest.