The Kremlin will attempt to dictate its agenda to Trump, also in the South Caucasus and in all conflicts
Interview with Andrey Piontkovsky, Russian, oppositional politician, publicist, columnist at “Echo Moscow,” on the outcomes of the U.S. presidential elections.
On November 8 Donald John Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States on Tuesday. Donald Trump garnered 279 electoral votes, while Clinton earned 218. Victory of billionaire Trump with not such a good reputation raised a great euphoria particularly among Russian political and expert circles, as in his election program he allotted a central position to improvement of relations with RF president Vladimir Putin. According to the newly elected U.S. president, Russia-USA relations will reach a perfect level. Moreover, as compared to already former president Barak Obama and his contestant Hillary Clinton, Trump considers that Russia didn’t invade into the territory of Ukraine, didn’t annex Crimea, NATO’s future is suspicious and volumes of the U.S. protectionism on NATO should be decreased.
Mr. Piontkovsky, another presidential campaign was over in the USA, which, we might say, shocked not only the USA, but the whole world, as the 45th president of the USA was elected billionaire, non-classical political figure Donald Trump. How do you explain his triumph?
Elections uncovered a rather serious crisis of American democracy. It’s not a secret that both candidates had a negative rating. We observed those growing figures during the campaign. Thus, in my opinion, Americans voted not in favor of this, but against the other candidate, who was more unpleasant to the voters out of certain circumstances, and maybe, even justified. I believe, the person, who became the U.S. president is an uneducated demagogue. However, the USA is the country of restraints and counterbalances, in both chambers representatives of two main political parties—Republican and Democratic parties—are introduced, mostly traditional Republicans. Thus, I consider, the USA will overcome Trump as well due to the existence of this system.
Rather serious admiration has been raised among Russian political and expert circles, as he plans to improve relations with Russia. However, some experts cast doubt on the possibility of success of those programs, as according to them, use of business capabilities in politics may not be so productive, and Trump is a good businessman. How will Trump succeed to improve relations with Russia?
Trump intends not only to settle relations with Russia, but also realize all intentions of Mr. Putin, obey him, fail NATO, refrain from defense of Baltic countries, and recognize annexation of Crimea as a NATO member country. This is Mr. Trump’s platform. Your question is interesting, life will show how he will succeed in implementing his programs, as, finally, he wasn’t elected as the U.S. tyrant and doesn’t have the chances presidents of Russia and Armenia have, and he can’t do what he wants. There is the U.S. Congress, social opinion, and this will be the experiment of American diplomacy—will that democracy succeed to digest a person, who, according to all theories, attempts to please Putin, or for the reason that he’s a bourgeois stupid person, or he is on the Kremlin’s hook.
According to diplomats with the change of the president the U.S. foreign policy doesn’t change by 80%, and only 20% mirrors preferences of the newly elected president. However, Trump is an unprecedented figure. In your opinion, what we may expect from the foreign policy by the U.S. also in the direction of the South Caucasus, where we observed policy of engagement during Obama’s stay in the Office.
We again go back to the previous question. Exultation in the Kremlin wasn’t accidental. It seems to the latter, that they appointed their agent in the White House. This, of course, is an achievement for the Kremlin, which wasn’t ever recorded even in the period of the USSR. By its dimensions, this may be compared to the achievement of stealing the nuclear weapon by the USSR. If Trump succeeds to implement its policy, if Moscow succeeds to manipulate Trump, then he’ll attempt to satisfy the Kremlin not only in Ukraine, Baltic countries, but in implementing Moscow’s agenda in other regions as well, including the South Caucasus and all the conflict zones. However, it’s my personal opinion, that a serious disappointment is expected to Moscow. If Trump attempts to take the same direction, very soon it’ll clash with the opposition of the U.S. political elite.
By Araks Martirosyan
