'Trump Shows Early Signs Of Discontent With Musk's Influence'

What is behind the statements of the US president-elect about the Panama Canal and Greenland?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. He said that he expects to achieve reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine in the next six months. When asked by journalists when the war between these countries, which began on February 24, 2022, would end, he replied: "I hope within six months."

The Charter97.org website discussed the statements of the US President-elect with Ukrainian diplomat and political scientist, Director of the Center for Defence Strategies Oleksandr Khara:

— Definitely, this is a recognition that election slogans were only slogans and did not have any plans, strategies for implementation.

And now there is an adjustment of rhetoric, the United States will adjust its behavior in order to create conditions for resolving the conflict. Naturally, there are no guarantees here either, since the conflict is extremely complicated, and Trump, by the way, has already recognized this. He said that this conflict is more complicated than the Middle East one, and he is absolutely right here. Accordingly, to try to start solving it, it is necessary to create certain conditions.

These conditions will be associated with the elaboration of options for ending the war, and with strengthening the negotiating position of the United States, and here, of course, this is possible only with the continuation and possible increase in assistance to Ukraine and, accordingly, the use of leverage to put pressure on Putin. So that he understands that he cannot continue the war any longer, it is more profitable for him to make some compromises, to sit down at the negotiating table. This is a positive thing, an awareness of the complexity of the conflict. After all, this is a conflict not only between Russia and Ukraine, and the conflict is, of course, genocidal in nature.

Russia wants to destroy Ukraine, control the territory, population, resources, but also Russia wants to use Ukraine to destroy NATO, to weaken Europe and to squeeze the United States out of Europe. Putin, of course, wants some preferences in other parts of the world. And therefore, to put all this together and evaluate, to try to find the right solution formula, it takes time.

— Donald Trump reiterated his desire to take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal and at the same time refused to exclude that he would do it by military means. What may be behind the applications for the purchase or acquisition of these territories? Is it a trolling? Some new style in diplomacy?

— This is a manifestation of the character of Trump himself — how he sees the world, how he believes that international affairs should be implemented. Naturally, his statements are a big blow to the long-term position and strategy of the United States on the non-use of violence, refusal to seize territories and spheres of influence.

Since after the Second World War there was a system, at least a Western-centric one, which was based on norms and principles, and not on spheres of influence, what he said, of course, should be a wake-up call. But on the other hand, I do not imagine that the United States declares war on Canada, Mexico, Panama, Denmark. I think this is such rhetoric — to demand the impossible in order for the other side to make significant concessions.

Naturally, there is a threat, primarily economic. And, accordingly, the governments of these countries, which came under this fire, should make some concessions to Trump.

And from the point of view of why he chose such points, there is an explanation and economic, if we are talking about Canada and Mexico. There are also security issues — the Panama Canal, where out of five ports, two are fully controlled by the Chinese.

The Panama Canal is not only an opportunity to reduce the cost of exports and imports, but also an extremely important point from a military point of view. It's the same with Greenland. In addition to being a resource-rich territory, it has been strategically important since the Cold War to contain Russia and the entire Eurasian space, as well as access to Arctic resources. Greenland is also important in terms of countering the same Russia with its Northern Sea Route project. Therefore, the rhetoric is bellicose. However, I do not believe in the willingness to use force on the part of the Americans, they are simply trying to push governments to make some concessions, primarily of an economic nature.

— Some suggest that such statements are Musk's influence. Can a billionaire be behind all this?

— Maybe, of course, since Musk, like many computer scientists, many rich people who have made their billions, they have a one-sided education, that is, they are technicians, it seems to them that everything is decided by some formula or some plan. Naturally, they do not take into account history, and this is understandable. For example, he said that for two thousand years Turkey has controlled Syria in various forms.

This is completely untrue because it confuses the same Eastern Roman Empire that was conquered by the Ottomans in 1453. But before that, there was the Roman Empire, and before that, the Hellenistic states that controlled Syria after the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Musk does not know the history, it seemed to him that this time frame is a sufficient argument that Turkey should play a big role in Syria.

If we are talking about a return to the era of empires, if Trump thinks of America as an empire, and not as a liberal state that attracts other states by the power of its values, its political system, then everything is clear.

It is possible to look at and calculate the population, resources, economic potential and strategic position. What will happen if America controls Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, as well as Greenland. This will be the largest geopolitical player, which, in fact, will itself have the resources necessary to confront both China and the Russian Federation.

It is clear that plans and statements are one thing, and the reality is completely different. Moreover, Greenland is a territory of Denmark, and some citizens definitely do not want to see themselves as some kind of state of the United States. Naturally, neither Trump, nor Musk, nor others at all take into account that there is some kind of democracy, there are some internationally recognized borders, and so on.

Therefore, yes, I think that Musk's influence is there, but let's hope that it will decrease soon, and Musk himself will leave this team, there are already first signs that Trump is dissatisfied with the constant presence of Musk around him and the influence that he exerts. And most importantly, how it is served on social networks. They are called “President Musk and Vice President Trump.”

Naturally, this is offensive to his ego. Therefore, yes, I agree, they came, now amateurs who do not know history, do not know how the international system is built and do not understand the consequences of such statements and, God forbid, actions.

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