Ömer Faruk Birpınar
The Ukraine war has long dominated the global agenda and has left its mark in history as a conflict that has severely shaken geopolitical balances. Donald Trump returned to the world stage with the challenge of “I can end the war in 24 hours.”
Trump is a businessman known for his negotiation skills. During his first term as president, he was noted for his tough negotiation tactics and direct statements. His claim that he would quickly end the Ukraine war is a result of his style of negotiation. Trump’s claim is exaggerated, given the parties’ deep distrust of each other and the complex dynamics of the war.
Trump’s rhetoric was also an effort to position himself as a strong leader. Especially among the US public, the image of a leader who offers quick and definitive solutions in foreign policy is effective on voters. Considering the impact of the war on the US economy and especially on energy costs, Trump’s promise to end it in 24 hours was a rhetoric aimed at influencing voters.
Trump’s claim is ambitious given the current positions of both Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it will not back down from defending its territorial integrity. Moreover, beyond the direct military dimension of the war, there is a much broader context that includes the long-term strategic competition between the West and Russia. Ending the Ukraine war, which has affected hundreds of thousands of lives for years, is not as simple as waving a magic wand. Diplomacy is not just a sweet conversation on the golf course.
Trump’s claim also contained a message criticizing the Biden administration’s strategy on Ukraine. According to Trump, the Biden administration was unnecessarily escalating the issue. The USA was being criticized for prolonging the war with its support to Ukraine.
By targeting Biden’s decisions in this area with the promise of a quick solution, Trump was trying to put his foreign policy vision in a framework that prioritized America’s interests. However, considering the broad support provided by the Biden administration to Ukraine, it is difficult to find a short-term solution to end the war in practice.
The reluctance of both sides to make significant concessions and the strategic shifts the war has created make it difficult for Trump to realize his claim.