Former NATO Supreme Commander James Stavridis

Former NATO Supreme Commander James Stavridis: [What is your view on what will happen with Ukraine?] I think it is a real possibility that if the Trump administration simply gives up on Ukraine, many Europeans, particularly the big four, Germany, Britain, France, and Italy, have the collective capacity to support the Ukrainians. But I don’t think that will actually happen. And here’s how I think it’s playing out. I think Trump will put a lot of pressure on the Ukrainians to negotiate. Trump will put pressure on the Russians to negotiate. Those negotiations could follow a ceasefire early in the Trump administration. How will that work out? I think the Russians will probably get Crimea, the four provinces of Donbas, about 20% of Ukraine, they’re in it now. It will be difficult to get them out militarily. The rest of Ukraine, the other 80%, is floating around as a free democracy and ultimately has a path to NATO.