Donald Trump expressed both surprise and pessimism regarding the possibility of resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, suggesting that the ongoing world war, which has been going on for over three years, might end in nothing due to the deep and, in his words, “enormous hatred” between the parties
In an interview with NBC News, the former U.S. president and presidential candidate revealed his pragmatic but somewhat sad perspective on the likelihood of achieving peace on the Ukrainian front. His remarks are quoted by the Ukrainian publication "European Pravda." When asked whether he believes in the possibility of resolving the crisis diplomatically, Trump admitted that he had considered withdrawing from the role of mediator several times, arguing that the situation seemed hopeless because of the profound and all-consuming hatred among the conflict participants. "There were times when I almost withdrew my hand because it seemed nothing would change. But then some positive moments happened that kept me on this path," Trump said. He emphasized that although peace efforts now seem difficult, this diplomatic work is not yet over, and he does not exclude the possibility of intervening again in the process. "There will come a time when I will say: 'Okay, continue. Keep being idiots and fight on,'" he added. However, according to the former president, reaching a real agreement between Western and Russian political and military representatives appears unlikely due to the deep enmity. "Maybe it’s impossible," Trump admitted. "But it’s worth remembering that between Zelensky and Putin, as well as between their military officers and generals, there is such hatred that it’s hard to overcome. They’ve been waging fierce war for three years, and this armed conflict has brought everyone into this irreconcilable fight. Nevertheless, despite everything, I hope we have a good chance to change things for the better, to find that path to peace," he concluded. This view of Trump emerged against the backdrop of growing tensions within U.S. diplomatic circles regarding possible steps in the Russian-Ukrainian war. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington is ready to scale back its activity and abandon its role as mediator between Russia and Ukraine if the sides do not make significant progress in negotiations. In response, the State Department reported a shift in diplomatic approach, indicating an intention to adopt a more passive stance in efforts to accelerate the peace process, emphasizing that the U.S. remains willing to support Ukraine but without direct involvement in the diplomatic negotiations. Thus, the situation remains tense. Regardless of the internal ambitions and hopes of many world politicians, the chances of a quick and remarkable end to the war appear increasingly unlikely. Deep hostility, the desire to preserve the status quo, and the lack of a shared vision for the future are compelling experts and politicians to take more seriously the possibility of a prolonged, exhausting struggle without a bright light at the end of the tunnel of diplomatic settlement.