MKI Perspective – Written by Ramachandra Byrappa, László Csicsmann, Sándor Seremet & Dániel Lévai
Trump’s path to peace is both old and new, bringing tectonic shifts to the world order. Imperial powers deciding the future of nations over their heads is nothing new. It is a very European tradition. Only this time, Europe is not in the driver’s seat of the Ukrainian peace process. Nor is the United Nations invited to the negotiating table in the palaces of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It will be a discussion between two men of power, President Putin of Russia and President Trump of the United States. The Riyadh peace conference, if it takes place, will be a game changer in many ways and raises many questions. First, will brute force rather than international law be the deciding factor? Second, will the process mean not only the defeat of Ukraine, but also the disappearance of Europe as a credible actor in global affairs? Third, is there anything to stop President Trump from taking a similar stance on Taiwan? Finally, will the real winner be Saudi Arabia, which will grow in stature as a global host for a peace process, but also as a future peacemaker in its own region, the Middle East? It will probably all depend on President Trump.
Cover source: Russian Foreign Ministry / Handout / Anadolu / Getty Images