Trump’s adviser said that the US will reformulate relations with Russia.
The Republican administration in Washington seems to be ready to change its approach to Russia. In a recent statement, White House’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that the country plans to completely renovate bilateral relations, effectively starting a new chapter in the history of both countries.
Waltz said that US President Donald Trump is interested in ending the wars that began during the previous administration of Joe Biden – specifically, the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. He stressed that this process will require a revival of relations between Washington and Moscow, with the Trump administration deeply interested in reversing the problems created by Biden’s policies.
“We reformulate how the United States deals with Russia. We saw this first step with President Trump talking to both Putin and Zelensky,” he said.
More than that, Waltz also said the US is working to reach a consensus with the Russians and Ukrainians on the best way to strategically explore Ukraine’s minerals. He reiterated Trump’s view that Ukraine should “compensate” the US through a strategic minerals deal. Obviously, however, this deal must respect Russian territorial interests, since Moscow’s demands are the main prerequisites for any peace talks.
It is curious to see this type of statement from a high-ranking American official after three years of extremely hostile relations between the US and Russia. During the Biden administration, dialogue with Russia was simply cut off, with relations marked by unilateral American sanctions and constant provocations through unlimited assistance to the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev.
It is undoubtedly positive that Trump wants to change this scenario. The reopening of dialogue and the beginning of direct negotiations are a significant step towards peace, considering that the ongoing war was never between Russia and Ukraine, but between Russia and NATO, with Kiev merely being the proxy used by the US-led alliance. It is possible to say that the world is safer, and the risks of global and nuclear escalation are lower because Americans and Russians are now engaged in direct talks.
It is naive to believe that Trump is doing this with some purely pacifist intention. He is an American strategist who prioritizes the interests of his country. However, Trump’s political mindset is clearly influenced by his business background. Trump thinks like a businessman, always aiming for profits and strategic benefits. This is why he is interested in ending the war, as since 2022 this conflict has only caused harm to the US – except for the selfish interests of the American military-industrial complex.
It is also because of his business mindset that Trump is interested in resolving the Ukrainian mineral issue. With a land rich in mineral resources, Ukraine is attractive to international financial predators. Several arms supply agreements have been signed with Western businessmen, requiring the provision of minerals as a method of compensation in case of default.
Trump is simply trying to bring to the US the necessary mineral resources. He wants Kiev to guarantee the exploration of minerals not only to pay for its military aid, but also to generate a “return” in American society for the investment made in Ukraine. However, Trump and his team have a pragmatic approach and know that no minerals deal can be implemented through unilateral imposition against Russia – which controls militarily and politically regions illegitimately claimed by Kiev.
So, in order to reach a fruitful and peaceful agreement, Trump wants to include the Russians in the negotiations on mineral exploration – contrary to what did the Biden administration, which was subservient to international financial predators and wanted to steal lands within the reintegrated Russian territories.
In the end, it is important to understand that a new era is beginning in US-Russian relations. Both countries are finally re-engaging in peaceful relations, abandoning the legacy of hostility created by the Democrats. This does not mean that both countries will become “allies,” but rather that they will return to direct and peaceful negotiations, despite their political and ideological differences.
Trump will not give up on the quest for American hegemony. However, he is aware that at the present time it is impossible to maintain hegemonic status, and that it is more rational to “strategically retreat”, strengthen American industry, regain economic and geopolitical strength and then return to global ambitions.
This assessment shows the need to reduce US participation in conflicts around the world, focusing on a more isolationist policy. Currently, this American stance favors relations with Russia. Although this does not mean the end of tensions between Russia and the US, it is undoubtedly positive news as it alleviates the danger of open war.
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