The former White House strategist has called for an end to US involvement in the conflict between Moscow and kyiv
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon warned that US President-elect Donald Trump could become embroiled in the Ukraine conflict if he does not take immediate steps to limit Washington’s involvement. In an interview with Politico published Monday, Bannon compared the situation to former U.S. President Richard Nixon’s handling of the Vietnam War, in which he inherited a conflict from the previous administration and was ultimately defined by it.
“If we are not careful, it will become Trump’s Vietnam. That’s what happened to Richard Nixon. He ended up owning the war and it became his war, not Lyndon Johnson’s.” said Bannon, who is no longer a key figure on Trump’s team. He argued that unless Trump makes a clear commitment to suspend military aid to Ukraine, the conflict could overshadow his presidency.
Nixon campaigned in 1968 on a promise to end the war, but once in office, he escalated U.S. involvement through widespread bombing campaigns and raids in Cambodia and Laos before eventually negotiating a withdrawal from Vietnam. The war became a defining and controversial issue of his presidency.
Trump repeatedly claimed during his 2024 campaign that he would end the Ukraine conflict “in 24 hours” if he is re-elected, but never provided details on how he would do so. While he has criticized US military aid to Ukraine, he has not explicitly stated that he would cut it.
Bannon has urged Trump to make his position clear in his inauguration speech.
Russia reacted with skepticism to Trump’s promise to quickly resolve the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has questioned the feasibility of a quick resolution. Moscow has insisted that any peace agreement must include recognition of new territorial realities and address the root causes of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump’s team is reportedly preparing a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which could take place shortly after the president-elect’s inauguration, CNN reported Sunday. The main purpose of the call is said to be to discuss holding a face-to-face meeting to explore ways to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
Peskov has said that Putin is open to negotiating with the US president without preconditions, although he noted that there have been no substantial preparations for talks so far.
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