How to assess the results of the US presidential election and the unexpected victory of Donald Trump? What does this change for Ukraine? How can it affect critical aid? Will it contribute to our victory and how? The answers to these and other questions were sought by experts and guests of the thematic discussion panel of the joint project of LB.ua and EFI Group New Country.
Keynote speakers of the panel:
- Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada;
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Kostyantyn Yelisyeyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine. Representative of Ukraine to the European Union (2010-2015), Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration (2015-2019);
Kostyantyn Yelisyeyev
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Pavlo Unhuryan, head of the Prayer Breakfast Movement in Ukraine, coordinator of the Christian Platform of the Ukrainian-American Partnership, former MP;
Pavlo Unhuryan
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Alyona Hetmanchuk, Director of the New Europe Center and Senior Associate Fellow at the Atlantic Council;
Alyona Hetmanchuk
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Ihor Liski, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of EFI Group Investment Company.
Ihor Liski
According to Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, the current focus should not be on analysing why American citizens made this choice, but rather on intensive and painstaking work to build a network of relations with the new government as soon as possible.
‘It is important to look for additional arguments, including economic ones, including reforms, in order to further our clear message: that Ukraine is fighting for itself, for democracy. And we look forward to accelerating, strengthening and filling the aid packages,’ the Vice Speaker said.
Ukrainian diplomat Kostyantyn Yelisyeyev recalled that Ukrainian society had already experienced something similar in 2016, when Donald Trump won for the first time. But today, the basis of allied relations with the United States is bipartisan support. And it needs not only to be promoted and strengthened, but also to be filled with specific content.
‘It is important to build trust now. Because, from my own experience, Trump is a person with whom, in principle, you need to build a relationship of trust, and many things can be solved on trust. Trump is a ‘deal of’ man, and so with Trump's arrival, we will have a ‘deal of’ diplomacy,' Yeliseyev said.
However, according to Alyona Hetmanchuk, an associate analyst at the Atlantic Council, unlike in 2016, Trump's election is not a shock today. And it should be seen not as a threat but as an opportunity. And we should use the contacts we have established to strengthen cooperation.
‘In the context of Trump, we have to think not only about what our ‘shopping list’, our list of requirements and wishes, should be. We also have to think about what our offer will be. The experience of those years may be useful here,’ the analyst says.
Former MP and coordinator of the Christian Platform for Ukrainian-American Partnership Pavlo Unhuryan believes that the result of the US election clearly shows the transformation of the mood of citizens.
‘Society has swung towards traditional conservatism and American hegemony. And we still need to figure out whether it is in this world or only in North America. Towards the capitalist approach, as opposed to the approach of the free market and uncontrolled social assistance,’ he said.
At the same time, businessman Ihor Liski said that under Donald Trump's presidency, Ukraine's victory could become more clearly defined.
‘I see more optimism. I see a real window of opportunity to end the war. This ending may not be as victorious as we all believed. We have to be realistic. But, I'm sorry, this cynical game of exhausting Russia with Ukrainian people, who are the frontline against which Russian troops are grinding, should not suit us as Ukrainians either. We need a concrete and realistic plan to end the war,’ the businessman stressed.
Expect the detailed speeches of the panel speakers on LB.ua soon.
