The former top diplomat and foreign minister Jan Eliasson says that the election in the United States will be decisive for Ukraine – and that a Republican victory would mean a crisis for NATO.
– In the long term, it is about continued political support for Ukrainian independence and then the US must play an important role, and there is a question mark there, says Eliasson in Nyhetsmorgon.
It is a gloomy Jan Eliasson who visits Nyhetsmorgon’s studio. He sees ruined relations between the US and Russia, a proxy war and continued military development in Sudan, and a question mark over US continued support in Ukraine.
– As a diplomat, I miss the dialogue and contacts that even continued during the Cold War, says Jan Eliasson.
Sees dangerous escalation in Ukraine
Eliasson says that one should count on a rapid development of events in the Ukraine war.
– In the case of Ukraine, I think we have to count on a rather dangerous escalation now. We have already seen yesterday how Russian attacks were carried out against cities, 25 dead at least. They will certainly do so in parallel with there being a Ukrainian counter-offensive. And it will be much different than when you defend yourself, more materials and victims are required in an offensive. So we have to follow that offensive very closely now. Unfortunately, I don’t see a diplomatic solution anytime soon, maybe at the end of this offensive.
US elections decide
He goes on to say that long-term support for Ukraine from the US is fragile – the wind could turn in the event of a Republican win.
– I think it seems that the support in Europe is stronger and more sustainable than it seems in the USA right now. There we have the Republicans and Trump who have an almost hostile relationship with Ukraine. If he or a Republican with that color were to win the election, we would be facing a crisis for Ukraine, but also for NATO.
“The difference was 7 years and 700,000 dead”
Do you see any lightening? Eliasson gets the question.
– All wars come to an end, but what I have found during my years as a mediator is that it is very difficult to find winners in wars. The destruction with today’s weapons and methods is so great that it is permanent damage with only losers in war.
– When I negotiated with Palme in the Iran-Iraq war in 1981, we put forward a proposal. Basically the same proposal that was accepted in 1988. The difference was seven years and 700,000 dead.