https://sputnikglobe.com/20250218/ex-dod-analyst-riyadh-meeting-shows-trump-is-looking-to-bring-realism-back-to-us-foreign-policy-1121582409.html
Ex-Pentagon Insider: Riyadh Meeting Shows Trump Aims to Bring Realism Back to US Foreign Policy
Ex-Pentagon Insider: Riyadh Meeting Shows Trump Aims to Bring Realism Back to US Foreign Policy
Sputnik International
Top diplomats from Russia and the US met in the Saudi capital Tuesday for a marathon four-and-a-half hours' worth of talks on Ukraine and the search for some semblance of normalcy in ties between the nuclear superpowers. Sputnik reached out to veteran former US DoD insider Karen Kwiatkowski to get a sense of the meeting's significance.
2025-02-18T19:05+0000
2025-02-18T19:05+0000
2025-02-18T19:08+0000
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karen kwiatkowski
donald trump
volodymyr zelensky
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ukraine
riyadh
us department of defense (dod)
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Donald Trump “has a big list of things that he wants to accomplish in a very short amount of time” and his goal vis-a-vis Ukraine is to take the issue "off of the front burner," Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force Lt. Col and ex-DoD and NSA analyst-turned whistleblower, explained.The US president appears to see the Ukrainian crisis “as a problem for the United States and for Europe and for Russia that really can be resolved,” and is proving “very willing to work directly with Russia because he is back to realism in a sense,” Kwiatkowski noted."This is the beginning of the end of US government Russophobia and moving into a much better space. It's very, very important," the international politics and military expert emphasized.The Riyadh meeting signals that Trump is "getting educated on the situation with Ukraine," and is "getting better intelligence than the previous administration ever allowed," she added.As far as Russia is concerned, the next step seems clear, according to the observer: “cleaning up Ukrainian politics so that you don’t have this problem in another year or couple of years.”Restoring legitimacy would be major progress in this direction, Kwiatkowski said, highlighting Russia’s perception of Volodymyr Zelensky as an illegitimate leader after he declared martial law and canceled elections in 2024.As for the Europeans, Kwiatkowski fully expects certain countries to be “aggressive” in positions against Russia “to the end,” regardless of what the US does, even if their actions amount to “support [for] the destruction of Ukraine,” which is "basically what they're doing."Highlighting the “desperation” felt in some corners, from Zelensky and the Europeans to neocons back home in the US, Kwiatkowski said she is “extremely worried” that forces seeking to sabotage peace could try something sinister, and hopes Russia and Trump’s team “have their eyes on this.”
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250218/riyadh-meeting-may-be-beginning-of-the-end-of-nato-ex-dod-analyst-explains-why-1121581757.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250218/lindsey-grahams-insane-ukraine-obsession-a-neocon-strategy-to-sway-trump-1121582666.html
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what did riyadh meeting accomplish, what does riyadh meeting mean for ukraine
what did riyadh meeting accomplish, what does riyadh meeting mean for ukraine
Ex-Pentagon Insider: Riyadh Meeting Shows Trump Aims to Bring Realism Back to US Foreign Policy
19:05 GMT 18.02.2025 (Updated: 19:08 GMT 18.02.2025) The top diplomats from Russia and the US met in the Saudi capital Tuesday for a marathon four-and-a-half hours' worth of talks on Ukraine and the search for some semblance of normalcy in ties between the nuclear superpowers. Sputnik reached out to veteran former US DoD insider Karen Kwiatkowski to get a sense of the meeting's significance.
Donald Trump “has a big list of things that he wants to accomplish in a very short amount of time” and his goal vis-a-vis Ukraine is to take the issue "off of the front burner," Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force Lt. Col and ex-DoD and NSA analyst-turned whistleblower, explained.
The US president appears to see the Ukrainian crisis “as a problem for the United States and for Europe and for Russia that really can be resolved,” and is proving “very willing to work directly with Russia because he is back to realism in a sense,” Kwiatkowski noted.
"This is the beginning of the end of US government Russophobia and moving into a much better space. It's very, very important," the international politics and military expert emphasized.
“Trump is bringing back not just great power politics, but a very realistic approach" to world affairs. "We have major potential partners, potential adversaries, and Trump believes in dealing with them rather than ignoring them or trying to pick fights with them,” Kwiatkowski said.
The Riyadh meeting signals that Trump is "getting educated on the situation with Ukraine," and is "getting better intelligence than the previous administration ever allowed," she added.
As far as Russia is concerned, the next step seems clear, according to the observer: “cleaning up Ukrainian politics so that you don’t have this problem in another year or couple of years.”
Restoring legitimacy would be major progress in this direction, Kwiatkowski said, highlighting Russia’s perception of Volodymyr Zelensky as an illegitimate leader after he declared martial law and canceled elections in 2024.
As for the Europeans, Kwiatkowski fully expects certain countries to be “aggressive” in positions against Russia “to the end,” regardless of what the US does, even if their actions amount to “support [for] the destruction of Ukraine,” which is "basically what they're doing."
Highlighting the “desperation” felt in some corners, from Zelensky and the Europeans to neocons back home in the US, Kwiatkowski said she is “extremely worried” that forces seeking to sabotage peace could try something sinister, and hopes Russia and Trump’s team “have their eyes on this.”
“I have no doubt that there are plots being discussed…I'm glad that we're talking directly with the Russians. This is a very positive step, but it is a dangerous time,” Kwiatkowski summed up.
