Media: Trump's controversial Ukraine comments fuel debate over NATO's role in conflict

President Donald Trump's recent remark, falsely blaming Ukraine for invading Russia, has reignited criticism and suspicion.

According to Axios, his statement reflects a belief held by some of his advisers that NATO's actions "provoked" the conflict years ago, Caliber.Az reports.

This perspective is central to understanding Trump's criticism of NATO, opposition to its expansion into Ukraine, and his exclusion of European partners from peace talks.

Critics accuse Trump of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin, endorsing disinformation, and excusing Russia's aggression. Trump’s stance on Ukraine represents a departure from the pro-European transatlantic policies of previous U.S. presidents. It also aligns with his desire to normalise relations with Russia. This shift was further highlighted when the U.S. broke with European allies by rejecting a United Nations resolution condemning Russia and demanding its withdrawal from Ukraine.

Trump’s advisers, defending his comments, argue that the media is focusing too much on the misstatement rather than how Western actions may have antagonised Putin prior to the invasion. They cite two key dates: NATO's 2008 declaration of Ukraine's future membership, which troubled Putin, and the 2014 events surrounding Ukraine’s pro-European protests and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

Trump's former envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff, echoed this view, stating, "The war didn't need to happen. It was provoked. It doesn't necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians. There were all kinds of conversations back then about Ukraine joining NATO."

This statement provoked backlash on social media, with prominent figures such as Gary Kasparov and Michael McFaul dismissing it as "Putin propaganda."

Despite criticism, Trump’s advisers remain firm, arguing that his America First movement aims to end the war, highlighting the ongoing Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories. "The Clinton-Bush-Obama-Biden foreign policy for years played Ukraine as a pawn against Russia in a globalist game that ended up in deadly war," said Michael Caputo, a senior adviser to Trump.

Experts, such as Gerard Toal, recognise Russia’s actions as unjust but suggest that the West's involvement in NATO's expansion towards Russia since 2008 may have contributed to the deterioration of relations, with some viewing it as a direct security threat to Russia.

By Aghakazim Guliyev