Why Donald Trump’s Running Mate JD Vance Could Force kyiv to Negotiate With Russia

The Ohio senator is one of the leading Republicans who vehemently oppose support for Ukraine. He wants an immediate peace deal and territorial concessions to Russia.

By choosing James David Vance as his running mate, Donald Trump has not given Kiev any gifts. During his big speech at the Republican convention on Thursday, July 18, the 39-year-old former military man called “America to choose a new path” and to refocus on domestic policy. In recent months, he had already said in particular “do “noted for his positions on Ukraine” and his fierce opposition to any American aid, underlines the historian and political scientist Nicole Bacharan from franceinfo.

After months of negotiations and procrastination in Congress, this massive support ($61 billion) was finally released on April 23. “The more unnecessary deaths there are, the fewer people there will be to rebuild Ukraine, and the less Ukraine will be able to function as a country in the future.”had denounced JD Vance before the vote (his speech was translated by the magazine’s website The Great Continent). The Republican senator then regretted that the legislative package “funds the Ukrainian border while turning a blind eye to the US border crisis”in unison with his party, which is demanding more resources to combat Mexican immigration.

JD Vance “said that it was not part of the vital interests of the United States and that there were other ways to spend the country’s money”summarizes Nicole Bacharan. America first, like a trademark. Donald Trump’s running mate “is part of an extreme isolationist tradition“, adds the researcher. “It’s part of the founding fantasies of American history. George Washington, the first president, wrote that we should stay away from old Europe and the problems.” Yet, “The facts have shown that the prosperity and security of the United States depend on a peaceful, democratic Europe with stable regimes.”

Ten days earlier, he had already written an article published in the New York Times to express its refusal to validate future deliveries. “The United States should take a more realistic approach to providing military assistance to other states”he wrote then. Ukraine is doomed to cede territory to Russia, he judged, for want of being able to compete numerically on the battlefield. And kyiv should refrain from launching perilous counter-offensives.

“This would require American and Ukrainian leaders to accept that Mr Zelensky’s stated goal for the war – a return to the 1991 borders – is fanciful.”

James David Vance, Republican Senator from Ohio

in a column published by the “New York Times” on April 12

“After two years of conflict, some villages [ukrainiens] have almost no men lefthe also stressed. The Ukrainian military used coercion to force men to serve, and women staged protests to demand the return of their husbands and fathers after long years of service at the front.” However, one may doubt the senator’s sincerity and motivations when he talks about the fate of the Ukrainian populations affected by the war. As ABC News recently pointed out, the man who could become vice president of the United States in November stated bluntly in February 2022, a few days before the Russian invasion: “I don’t care what happens to Ukraine.”

“What his personal attitude reflects is 100% opportunism.”says Nicole Bacharan. Eight years ago, he was still comparing Donald Trump to “an American Adolf Hitler”in flowery language. “He felt the wind change and went to Mar-a-Lago [la résidence de Donald Trump en Floride] to apologize, before becoming a convinced Trumpist.”

His positions on Ukraine, however, find an echo in part of American opinion. “It is not wrong to talk about lassi“There is a growing sense of skepticism and skepticism among the population, who are asking questions about the duration and cost of the conflict, as well as about a possible way out.”explains the historian.

kyiv has not officially commented on the appointment of JD Vance, to avoid insulting the future. The rare comments from officials are part of the Coué method.“Trump’s choice is bad news for Russia”Andrei Kovalenko, head of the Center for Combating Disinformation, an entity of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said on Telegram. He added: “The Vice President will carry out the will of the President.” Certainly, in case of victory, “It’s not James David Vance who will decidecontinues Nicole Bacharan. But he can become a very influential advisor. He is so smart, he knows how to get into Donald Trump’s brain so well, that his advice will carry weight.”

“Ukrainians are in a terrible situation”reacted for his part Rajan Menon, defense expert at the City College of New York quoted Thursday by the NBC News channel. “The United States is by far their largest supplier compared to the Europeans. If they withdraw, the Ukrainians will lack not only the essential air defense to protect their cities, but also the artillery.”

Donald Trump’s intentions regarding the conflict between Ukraine and Russia remain unclear at this stage. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who supports both the re-election of the Republican candidate and unconditional aid to Ukraine, sees no contradiction, assuring on X that the leader will continue to act to “defend democracy”.

On Friday, Donald Trump said he called Volodymyr Zelensky to tell him he would end the war. How does he plan to do this, without drawing a line under the territories occupied by the Russian army? “This is a planned abandonment of Ukrainesummarizes Nicole Bacharan. The possible arrival of Republicans would mean the end of support for kyiv.”