An analyst says that Melania Trump likely contributed to Donald Trump’s changed opinion on the Ukraine-Russia war.
“There are forces within the Trump camp that do support Ukraine. One of them is Melania Trump. Melania Trump really believes. She’s very affected by the issue of Ukrainian children. Russia has kidnapped more than 20,000 Ukrainian children”, Melinda Haring, Eurasia specialist at the Atlantic Council and senior community engagement advisor at Rasm for Ukraine, told France 24.
Haring added that Melania talks to her husband about Ukrainian children and that the first lady’s best friends are all Ukrainian Americans.
“There are major differences within the Trump camp”, Haring said. She added that Vice President Vance doesn’t like Uraine.
“It’s really about who talked to Trump last that President Trump is really influenced by the last person in the room.”
After meeting Zelensky on Tuesday Trump said that he believes Ukraine can win the war and take back all the lost territory.
The remarks are a shift from his earlier stance that Zelensky “doesn’t have the cards”, arguing that time is not on Ukraine’s side and that Russia is winning the war. He also urged Zelensky to make territorial concessions to Russia to reach a deal that would end the four-year-old conflict.
“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account shortly after meeting Zelensky.
Haring said that while there’s a massive change in rhetoric, it could change tomorrow.
“Will the United States continue to support Ukraine with its financial assistance and with weapons? That’s the big question”, she said.
“Today, we had a good conversation with President Trump and I think he understands today that we can’t just swap territories”, Ukrainian President Zelensky said in an interview on Fox News’ Special Report on Tuesday. “It is not fair”, he continued.
Asked if Trump’s position had changed. “Yes, I think so and I really count on this, a continuation of his attitude”, the Ukrainian president replied.
Zelensky said that to stop the war, Putin’s ambitions have to be stopped. “To change his position on this war.”
